Mental health has a lot to do with your emotional, psychological & social well-being. It affects how you act, think, and feel.

Mental health is important for teens because it impacts your thoughts, actions, and interactions with others, it is also part of your well-being. According to Indiana Youth Institute, 30.7% of Indiana students suffer from poor mental health.

Covid-19 impacted teen mental health tremendously. The CDC states almost 60 percent of teen girls reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness. Covid put lots of teens at suicide risk. It also caused anxiety and depression. It wasn’t clear that teens had bad mental health from covid until recently. Covid was a bad time for everyone but teens were affected the most mental wise.

Teens who suffer from mental health issues are most likely to struggle with family, in school, and community. According to youth.gov families relationships often become strained because parents and caregivers do not know how to help their children or themselves. Some believe this can cause social isolation from the family.

 Living an upset or depressed life can come in the way of your life, making it hard to study, work, sleep, think clearly, and social life. Sometimes you should ask yourself why you feel that way and understand it. Affirmations are a must ; try saying nice things to yourself. Write your feelings down in a notebook once the notebook is full , burn it. 

Everybody lives in fear of something – losses and other things that make us feel stressed. Nature can help with some of that stress. Mentalhealth.org says “nature has a calming effect on us.” Nature is one of the best ways to cope. 

Maybe you just want somebody to talk to. Some people choose to ignore their feelings or keep it bottled up inside painful things. You have to have a lot of courage to tell someone your feelings and thoughts. Venting to someone you trust can help and make you feel relieved. Seeking advice from someone else can also make you see or have a different point of view on your mental health.

Beware of feeling like you should turn to drugs to feel better. Lots of teens turn to drugs to deal with their problems. Drugs are temporary relief, the feelings will return and maybe create new problems. 

Getting more sleep can also benefit mental health because not getting enough sleep can mess with your body physically , affect the way you think and the way you cope. Most people don’t get enough sleep. That’s a major reason that causes mental health issues.You need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to be your full best. If you’re struggling with sleeping, create a sleep schedule, avoid tv, and don’t drink alcohol.

Making friends might seem hard to do but often you want to have somebody. Having fun and having someone to talk to can always uplift you. Being kind is good for both you and someone else. It boosts your mood and strengthens connections, and hel-p us cope better.

Having good physical health is a positive thing too. Try doing sports, dance, go for walks, or go to the gym. “Exercise releases a “feel good” hormone that reduces feelings of stress and anger” says mentalhealth.gov. It also improves your sleeping too. You don’t have to beat yourself up about being physical, just try your best. Try to eat healthy, what you eat affects your body, brain and mood, it can be good or bad. Snacks with lots of sugar can make you feel overhyped at the moment but then make you feel exhausted afterwards. Stay away from coffee, energy drinks , or tea. Have a balanced diet with healthy foods and you’ll see the difference in your mental and physical health. Food makes you choose wisely! 

Be open to change, try to do stuff outside your comfort zone. Life will become more vivid and rewarding. Mental health is important to everyone’s life it helps us determine our whole lives