Mental Health Opinion-Editorial: The Power and Necessity of Self-Care
By: Ali Smith (12th)
The topic of struggling with mental health is no longer considered taboo, but it would be a grave mistake to consider the recent rise in the discussion of mental illness a mere trend. Levels of mental health issues amongst adolescents, such as depression and anxiety, continue to increase; a mental health condition is defined as a “disorder that affects your mood, thinking, and behavior.” 1 Since The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that mental health issues in teens have been rising extensively in the last dozen years, everyone should strive to manage their emotions in a productive way. Many issues can be remedied or decreased by altering one's mindset and actions through extensive inner and behavioral work, but this is no easy feat. The good news is that conversations are being had and research is being conducted to produce specific routes to help teens succeed at self-care and stress management. These systems and new societal norms continue to help teens cope with the various mental issues they may be facing.
Self-care is extremely important because regardless of someone’s specific circumstances regarding sex, race, relationships, self-esteem, location, or any other factor, everyone goes through rough patches during different periods of life. When this inevitably happens, it’s not only valuable but imperative to understand ways to self-soothe and take care of oneself. As teens experience and express more and more stressors from both internal and external conditions, we should not only discuss the struggles we may face, but the possible solutions and routes to recovery.
A main way to self-soothe is through exercise as it helps release endorphins in the brain. An endless number of studies show the positive effects of exercise, a “mood booster” that can improve sleep and self-esteem. Another form of self-care is practicing breathing and meditation. These are many people’s go-tos; however, everyone is different. Some people could find relaxation through journaling, getting organized, baking, drawing, and so much more. Strategies vary depending on the person, but everyone will experience negative emotions at some point, so having the skills to deal with those bumps in the road is necessary for well-being. To conclude, taking care of ourselves is clearly not an easy task. It seems ironic that our most necessary requirement in life is such a challenging one. However, that is why it’s so important to have a willingness to learn, take action, and shift our mindset to partake in our own unique versions of self-care.
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