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FIGHT THE STIGMA
What is it?
Have you been outcasted? Been discriminated against? Felt unwanted? break the stigma. Make Mental health a priority, it includes our emotions, feelings and social well being. It affects how we think, adapts and behaves.
Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year. However, only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to mental health. Stigma affects not only the number seeking treatment but also the number of resources available for proper treatment. Stigma and misinformation can feel like overwhelming obstacles for someone who is struggling with a mental health condition. Untreated mental illnesses can be an early contributor to anxiety, depression, poor academics, lack of expressive or communicative skills and even be a factor to suicide.
Teenage Mental Health
Adolescents with mental health conditions are in turn particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (affecting readiness to seek help), educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviours, physical ill-health and human rights violations.
Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age but most cases are undetected and untreated.
Globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-19-year-olds.
The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
Teen suicide is at it's highest now and one of the main reasons behind it
is lack of education of mental health. You need to realize mental health is as important as
your physical health. If you're going through something mentally you need to reach out for help as you would have done if it was related to your physical health. Don’t push it aside
saying it's not important, it’s a small problem. Speak up. Get the help you deserve.
Many teenagers don’t even know that they're depressed. They suffer every single day but still wear masks. Hide every sign of what they might be going through. They're even ashamed of their problems.
What Causes it?
It’s important to remember that teens commit suicide not because of a desire to die but rather to escape a bad situation or avoid pain and suffering.
The emotional state that makes adults consider suicide is the same as teenagers.
Teens consider suicide when they feel like they aren’t able to handle situations such as:
Parents going through a divorce
Relocating to a new place
Being a victim of sexual or physical abuse
Feeling of hopelessness
Substance abuse or alcoholism
Exposure to domestic violence
Psychological or mental disorders
Any kind of physical illness
Social or financial loss
Loneliness
Kids are not taught hard work, they are not taught to excel, they are taught that they are owed and everything should be fair and that there are no wrong answers or losers. Everyone is taught that your own happiness matters more than anything else. Kids in our generation can’t handle it, because they’ve never had to handle anything before.
But they can always speak up.
Behavioural Disorders
Behavioural disorders usually begin to develop at a young age and tend to aggravate during the teenage years of a child. This may include early signs of temper, low levels of concentration, destructive or challenging behaviour.
Help fight your behaviour :
Change your environment
Choose your friends wisely
Start by getting rid of one bad habit
Set regular goals
Reward yourself for every goal achieved
Eating Disorders
Conditions such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are characterised by harmful eating behaviours such as restricting calories or binge eating.
These often lead to anxiety, depression or substance misuse. Giving a rise to ideas of discrimination due to body shapes or sizes which are common factors of low confidence, low self-esteem and unhealthy social environments.
Love yourself:
Accept yourself
Avoid insulting, body shamming and judging
Be mindful of your diet
Manage your time, stress and regular activities by making a schedule
Make sure to exercise regularly
Suicide and Self-harm
Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted, including harmful use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to accessing care and access to means. Around 1000000 teenagers die every year as victims to sexual violence, substance abuse, fighting a war against bullying, pressure and anxiety. These experiences can impair a teenagers ability to participate in daily life and education and often lead to stigma or human rights violations.
Live for yourself:
Speak to a trusted peer
Be sympathetic and non-judgmental
Offer Hope by Letting the person know that their life is important to you. Be as supportive as you can.
Seek medical help in forms of counselling or therapy
Encourage yourself to adapt to a positive lifestyle.
Write your feelings and emotions down.
Indulge in a hobby to distract yourself.
Live to the Fullest
You're only a teenager for 2,555 days. Don't let anyone or anything take away your years of ultimate happiness, joy, growth in every aspect. Be your own idol, live to see yourself grow. Fight your mental illness, make it your priority, stay positive. Showcase your beauty, strength and dignity. Live for a better tomorrow that you build for yourself.
You are just a teenager, We make mistakes, it is fine. We change, we learn. That is what makes us adults right? You have dreams that still need to come true. This is not the end. Don’t give up. You feel like your weak you won't make it through. But take a deep breath. YOU MADE IT THIS FAR. I'm telling you again your way is stronger than you think you are. You feel lonely, like no one there for you. Although you need to realize. You will get through this. You will smile again. You’ll be happy again. JUST DONT GIVE UP DON’T GIVE UP. Why? Cause your brave. Your life matters more than anything. Cause your problems matter. We want you to say. Cause we believe in you and you should too.
So, promise yourself no matter how hard it gets. You will not let those people who did this to you win. You will not suicide, you won’t give up. Instead, you smile right at them, you move on. You show them how irrelevant they are. It’s not easy but you can do it because doing this makes you much stronger than you were yesterday.
Don’t let them take away the most beautiful years ahead of you. Never suicide, never even think of leaving this world behind. I don't want you to and I'm sure there are others who don't want u to go.
Share this post. Say something nice to your friends, kids today. Appreciate them. Tell them how unique they are. We don’t want any teenagers to even think of leaving this world behind, to even think of such a scary thought. You can help us, we leave this up to you. For once lets spread positivity and just be there for each other.