February 8, 2023 – As mental health problems Increase amongst teenagers and studentsThe timing of the primary global Student Mental Health Week this week couldn’t be higher.
The urgency is clear. A recent study showed that just about one third of scholars worldwide reported that their mental health had worsened since returning to campus following COVID-19 lockdowns.
With Suicide rates Launched by five youth-focused nonprofits, including the Born This Way Foundation, founded by Lady Gaga, the Inspiring Children Foundation, co-led by singer-songwriter Jewel, the Jed Foundation, and Chegg, an academic technology company, this campaign goals to lift awareness of the problem.
“Even before the pandemic, there was an increase in depression, anxiety and suicide among students,” says Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundationthat protects emotional health and prevents suicides amongst teens and young adults. “Young people are constantly exposed to wars around the world, social and political unrest in our country, and the climate crisis – things that adults never experienced in their youth. I don't think we realize how much they are struggling with.”
Throughout the week, live social media events will help educate policymakers, educational institutions and communities concerning the mental health issues facing students. Another goal is to induce students world wide to work with their legislators to develop motion plans to advertise mental health.
“The previous generation overlooked mental health issues, which led to a culture where there was so much shame about not feeling comfortable in your own home,” says Matine Khalighi, a sophomore at Harvard University and CEO and founding father of Samea youth-led nonprofit dedicated to combating student homelessness. “There's a new wave of openness about mental health issues right now. Creating a space where we can talk about it makes us feel less alone.”
Cherrial Odell, a sophomore at Stanford University who survived suicide and a difficult childhood, is a board member of the Born This Way Foundation and the Inspiring Children Foundation. For Odell, this week is crucial.
“We all have mental health issues,” says Odell, who this week was elected president of the scholar Stanford Mental Health Outreach The group hosts day by day events on the Stanford campus. “The beautiful thing about our generation is that we talk about these issues much more openly. That's a wonderful thing. After all, opening up and sharing your story is a strength, not a weakness. It shows that you have the courage to share what you're going through.”
Ultimately, Erickson-Schroth hopes that the week will provide information to adults as well.
“It's so important that the adults in young people's lives recognize the signs that a young person is going through something that is causing stress and anxiety,” she says. “It's also important that parents feel like they have the resources to provide that help.”
Neal Horen, PhD, director of the Division of Early Childhood on the Center for Child and Human Development and director of the HOYA Clinic within the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University, hopes this week helps bring greater attention to the potential pitfalls students may face during this essential developmental period of their lives.
“Going to college can be great, but it can also be a tedious journey if we're not careful,” he says. “This is an important time of identity formation, where kids are asking themselves, 'Who am I?' 'Where do I fit in?' That, and the immediate independence they may experience when they move away from home, is very challenging for someone and can lead to mental health issues that we need to be careful of.”
For further information please see the Student Mental Health Week Page.