Getting the conversation going

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, here are some startling facts that you should know: if we were to take 100 random Americans, 18 would suffer from an anxiety disorder, more than six would have a developmental disorder (including ADHD and autism spectrum disorder), seven would have suffered from an eating disorder at one point of their lives, another seven would have a substance abuse problem and about 17 would struggle with depression. Overall, 25 percent of those 100 people would be suffering from a condition that attacks the minds of people we come across every single day.

The point of this article is not to ramble off facts about the significance of this epidemic, but rather to bring to light something much more important.

It is time we talk about the impact and implications that mental health has had, and will continue to have, on so many of our dear friends and loved ones. It is more common now than ever that a majority of people can speak to the truth behind the detrimental effects mental health could have on someone. Whether it be a personal experience, a close friend/relative or an acquaintance, every day there is a person out there who is fighting a seemingly never-ending battle with themselves. The fighting has begun, the damage has been done and now it is time that we speak up about these problems with the same strength that it has taken to suppress them.

Build a support system

We can talk all we want about our community and the support we give one another but the numbers speak for themselves. With an outstanding number of three alleged mental health-related deaths in just the past year involving LT students alone, this is no longer a personal or individual problem but an epidemic that should resonate with every single person in the LT community. Between the entirety of the students, teachers and administration, we have to step up as a united front in order to really show the people struggling around us that they should not be ashamed, embarrassed or afraid of talking about their personal mental health problems.

We need to spark the conversation. We need to change the rhetoric behind talking about mental health. We need to be more open and accepting to those who need us the most. We need to completely transform the way we are handling individual cases involving mental health.

Education is key

But before that, we need to become educated. Depression is not simply being sad or having a bad day; eating disorders aren’t just the act of choosing not to eat; substance abuse is way more than an addiction. These disorders are just as complex as the people who battle them every day and feel as though they are silenced by this ever-present stigma that needs to be eradicated completely in our society.

In order to get educated about the various parts that make up these disorders, we need more than just a semester of health class or occasional group guidance meetings that preach the same, repetitive information we have been hearing since middle school:

“If you know anyone who is in danger, tell a trusted adult.”

“It is important that you speak up about your friends’ problems.”

“Report any signs of suicide.”

All of these statements are simply introductory—just scratching the surface of what really needs to be said. As mental health problems are so prominent in teenagers and young adults, we need to go deeper into understanding how we can supply the necessary resources to make a change in the education and handling of these issues. We can’t just ignore and cast away obvious signs of trouble because we get uncomfortable talking about them. It is the school’s responsibility to educate its students, to the best of its ability, about problems that threaten the safety of the students they’re obligated to protect.

We are part of the problem

As it stands now with over 4,000 students in attendance at LT, there are only four total social workers over the entirety of the four grades and two campuses. Let’s compare that with our neighbor, Hinsdale Central. They, on the other hand, have a population of about 2,500 students but double the number of social workers who are readily available to work with students.

How are LT students’ voices supposed to be heard when there are few to listen?

Because there is an undersupply of professionals with limited time to meet the demands of hundreds of struggling students, the school is coming up short in providing crucial and fundamental outlets for every student yearning for the attention that they so desperately need and, more importantly, deserve. An increase of education on these disorders paired with more professional help could be the first step to getting the school up to par with its students’ needs. We, as a community, could be a part of the movement that puts up a relentless fight against an unseen enemy invading the minds of the ones we love the most.

Although improvement is essential moving forward, LT does, in fact, have outlets in place now for these issues in particular. However, those outlets may be neglected due to the fact that some may feel weak or judged for having the problems that they do. It doesn’t matter how many resources are offered to students, if those resources aren’t met with constant positive reinforcement for students to express their troubles in times of need, then those outlets don’t serve their ultimate purpose. Simply having a speak-up line won’t do the trick.

Professional insight

Furthermore, LION received the opportunity to sit down with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and parent of LT students about her experience working with students who struggle with mental health issues both inside and outside school environments. The source asked to remain anonymous; however, she has seen first hand how school systems can clash with the ethical and moral responsibilities of a professional psychologist and also the aversive effects the lack of resources can have on students. Our source gives professional insight on dealing with mental health and narrows in on suicide specifically, based on her experience:

“I think if we focus on what LT does correctly and then add additional hiring of mental health resources during something like in the aftermath of a suicide, then it would only help,” she said. “Also, it is important for people to have an avenue for grief. The idea that a suicide needs to be kept quiet and not acknowledging the person who passed does a disservice to those who are grieving and to those who are struggling. It is understood that there has to be a balance, but misinformation amongst teens is worse. I think the social workers at LT do a phenomenal job, but you can never have enough social and emotional support. It could make a difference if each campus had an additional crisis counselor to provide support.”

Media’s influence

Another aspect to take into consideration is the power of social media. Nowadays students have the ability to learn information about the passing of one of their peers before it is officially confirmed and thus, the administration must adapt its approach entirely. The constant cycle of breaking news through social and conventional media outlets alike leaves little time for the school and students to react. Therefore, it is more necessary now than ever that the administration tries to move towards a plan that incorporates the effects that social media could have on students’ immediate responses.

“It is important to consider that, with technology, kids learn fast about situations,” she said. “That also allows misinformation to flow fast. I believe that this can be handled with grace, but it must be handled directly and respectfully to keep students safe.”

Moving forward

What is being done now is simply not enough.

Even though there is only so much a school can do to help its students, there is definitely more to be done. We can only hope that, as a school moving forward, we can learn from the past and do everything in our power to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself. This is a wake-up call to the administration and teachers of LT. Listen to what your students have been trying to tell you: we need your help and it is about time you give it to us. Find the balance between complete intervention and neglect. Administer weekly or monthly support groups and educational meetings in order for your students to feel welcomed and acknowledged in their personal struggles.

When dealing with mental health disorders, the last thing a student should consider is that he or she is alone in their fight. More often than not, there are several other people trying to cope with the same problems as someone else. If we could just break down the barrier and open those students up to a world of support, no longer will we have to experience the same anguish of losing a peer to the deteriorating state of his or her own mind. Thus, we are reminded that no man is an island.

Staff Vote: 26-0