Back in mid-September, students taking psychology and CCR classes at SPHS presented their research on specific mental health disorders at the Mental Health Fair; taking place in the MPR, detailed cardboard trifolds representing mental health disorders such as Major Depression Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder lined the tables.

These students had many open conversations on various aspects of mental health. When asked, a group of 9th graders Cadence, Rio, Ash, and Carlos defined mental health as “…someone’s health beyond anything physical, and it has to do with your feelings and your brain reacting to things… it can also affect your physical health as well.” 

Another group of 9th graders Kalia, Madison, Isabel, and Christina believe mental health is a “struggle that we can’t really fix without having to take action or do something.”

Mental health should be viewed in the same light as physical health, as many students seem to believe; the only difference is the stigma that surrounds the former, to which Ms. Greer believes, “We have to share what we know to make a difference.” One of the goals of this project for our counselor Ms. Swaniker was to help students understand “the feeling that it’s okay to talk about mental health.” 

As for the importance of mental health, it is this: mental health does not discriminate. It does not pick and choose who to affect the most, nor is it visible to other people. “You can’t see mental health,” Isabel says. “You can’t see what somebody’s going through and you can’t see… everything around here, you can’t see what’s happening in the daytime and the night… you can’t see what’s going on with someone. So you should always be kind and know that there may be more to a story than you’re being let on.”

When it comes to maintaining mental health, here are some resources: the SPHS counseling team, the social work team, therapy from the Wellness Center, the Escondido Education Compact, the YMCA for LGBTQ+  and transitional aged youth, and calling 988 for mental health crises and help.

And above all, remember this: you are not alone.