Teenage mental health is a worldwide issue.  According to statistics, suicide is the leading cause of death in adolescents, and each year almost five thousand young people, between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four kill themselves. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Enacting change, even on a small scale helps. Such as in our school, right here at Central Kitsap.

Many agree that the school’s support for mental health isn’t bad, “I’ve seen worse in other schools” Max Sutton (Senior) says, but there’s always room for improvement. 

Central Kitsap is highly ranking, but this stems from education, not on the well being of its students. As an anonymous source said “bullying is a serious issue…at CK it’s really overlooked because we have a reputation to uphold…We’re very academically inclined, and we want to keep that image. We don’t want people knowing that there’s bullying at the school, because that creates a bad image.”

On the topic of mental illness in general, the problem stems from ignorance. The staff at Central Kitsap take proper safety precautions when dealing with students in danger of themselves, but when it comes to mental health awareness, staff and students lack the tools to help. 

“If they talked about it more at school, there’d be a lot less fear,” an anonymous source said. A few of their classmates were aware of their situation and it changed the way these classmates treat this anonymous source. Some “think I’m an extremely fragile human being now rather than just a human being” and others “think I’m going crazy,” they said. 

It’s not only students, but some teachers can also make mistakes too. As Sutton put it “some teachers…have caused me to have a complete breakdown in class because of the little things they’ve said.” 

The most effective way to handle more complicated mental issues is through discussion and education. 

There is of course professionals to help, but the number of local psychiatrists who see minors is lacking. “They typically don’t take those issues seriously,” an anonymous source said, “because you’re of an age where you’re still going through development,”. 

Central Kitsap has taken steps to help youth mental health by hiring a psychologist and having the counseling department there in a time of need. 

But sometimes adults are busy, and students just need someone to listen, something like a peer who understands, which is where a YSBP club could come in. YSBP (Youth, Suicide and Bullying Prevention), could aid in the schools’ attempts by reaching out and educating those on the facts of Mental Health, along with helping those who are currently struggling by listening and giving them the necessary resources to get better. 

YSBP currently lacks an adviser, but several ambitious students by the names of Max Sutton, Dylan Lundblad (Junior), and others have all stepped up to enact it again, and they all have hopes for the future of the club. 

Lundblad hopes to spread awareness about the issues of suicide and mental health, such as de-stigmatizing the topic, saying “helping to keep the environment that it’s okay to talk about these things,” along with addressing the academic pressures put on high school students. 

Sutton aspires to help others also by awareness, and by reaching out to those struggling to help them find their own ways healthily to cope. Along with creating a safe space for students to discuss the struggles they face in their own lives, a space in which students can get support from their peers. 

It can often seem hopeless, or that a short term problem is unsolvable or unstoppable, but change is always possible, and the first step in enacting change is acknowledging what is at hand. 

Whether it’s a family member, a friend, or a loved one don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. If you need someone to talk to or pointers on how to support others there are people here to help! 

If you believe someone is in need of urgent help or is in danger contact a trusted adult. In times of need, visit  the following hotlines – https://www.pleaselive.org/hotlines/