Article by Hector Chang

Burnout

The Increasing Issue of Mental Health

By Hector Chang

It’s a beautiful day outside, the birds are chirping and the sun is shining. And yet no one is outside.

The COVID pandemic has been a all people over the globe. It’s hard not being able to go outside or get any real interactions, and it doesn’t feel good waking up with nothing to look forward to in your day. Unfortunately, the problem runs deeper than the virus.

Mental health has become an increasingly important issue for many, and it’s at its worst right now.

Now, in April 2022, it’s been just

over two years since the lockdown phase of the pandemic began.

Finally, the virus is dying down and mask mandates are being lifted, and in many ways it feels like we are returning to a sense of normality. Yet, there are countless people struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other problems. We have had a huge mobilization and enough treatments for the virus, but where is the huge mobilization for mental health help? It seems like the virus exposed more of the challenges we face psychologically.

What exactly is mental health?

teenager, especially when the move is across the whole country. It could be the most important factor of a child’s life; do they want to stay in the home they grew up in, we think, feel, and act. It also helps deteror are they willing to experience change? mine how we handle stress, relate to others, Alex Lynn, a high school student, has his own experience moving across the country sounds very obvious, but there are many from Pennsylvania to California.

Alex considers himways of dealing with self fairly lucky during their own personal expestress, turmoil and grief, many the pandemic, as he riences. people seeking help are con- was still able to atAccording to Lenny Bernstein, a journalfronting a system at or beyond tend in person school during his sophomore ist who covers health capacity.” year of high school. and medicine for the Although COVID was counseling in much of the United States for years, long before the coronavirus pandemic began. But now, after two years of unrelenting stress, turmoil and grief, many people seeking help are confronting a system at or beyond capacity, its inadequacy for this moment plainly exposed.” The Washington Post states that mental health has been a

on others. Ironically, he considers the vi-

himself. Working on improving his physical health has also mutually improved his menbetween the two.

One of the factors Alex believes plays

counseling places ing treatment is not easy. Has it gotten to the point where there are too many issues to be treated?

A parent tells moving.” These words can have quite Alex talking with a friend

a major role in contributing to mental health problems are comparisons. He often felt worried of where he would end up in life, and felt a lot of pressure from family and friends who had made great achievements. This leads into the creation of social ing people of younger age groups. There is this facade social media puts up of perfection: a perfect body, a perfect face, a perfect life. But what it doesn’t show is the imperfections. And yet, many young people continue to compare themselves to what they

Selfie Time with Sarah

Still, immune to the struggle of social media, Alvarado has had her own to people today because I see it[social media] as deal with. In 2021, she was diagnosed with an adult… If I was living in that world and breast cancer. Being diagnosed with one that was how I connected with most people, of the most fatal medical conditions in the I would probably also really have some maworld is an indescribable feeling. Stayjor sort of reckoning issues,” says Sarah Aling happy and positive while dealing with varado, a history teacher at Los Altos High something so serious wouldn’t be the easSchool. Alvarado believes there is a lack iest feat. Going through cancer treatment, of real connection in the world, especially now, due to the combination of COVID and mo, and even getting an IVF. These types social media. of treatments change Over the last few the natural biology of years, it’s been very difa human being. Furand that was how I connect- thermore, hormones and genuinely bond with ed with most people, I would and others play a large each other, and most of probably also really have some role in mental stathese non-genuine conbility and emotions, nections stem from social sort of reckoning issues.” and keeping oneself media. It’s like there’s balanced becomes a an internal voice, telling sort of mental game. you what you have to do in order to be liked Having multiple counselors, therapists, and by the people around you. If you’re not other resources seriously helped Alvarado doing that, you’re doing something wrong. keep her foundation, along with supportive family and friends. Many others struggle and cycles of ‘no one likes me, I’m not dowithout these resources, and it’s important ing anything good,’ or ‘the things I’m doing everyone who needs it has the opportunity are not enough’” (Alvarado).

to get it.

Being a teacher, Alvarado knows of the stress and effects schoolwork has on students. She believes that it is not the main factor, and is only the cherry that goes on top of other stressors.

Amanda Jernigan, a high school student, believes the opposite - school is the main contributing factor towards her psychological problems. NPR news says, “Up to one in five kids living in the U.S. shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder in a given year” (Anderson, Cardoza).

Jernigan was diagnosed with major depressive disorder in March 2022.

Even before having to quarantine from school due to catching COVID, school was already hard enough for Jernigan. After she returned, she wasn’t able to catch up on all the work she had missed, and it eventually ended up overwhelming her.

Recently, schools have been prioritizing mental health guidance, with more programs, counselors, and awareness events. Jernigan believes they are of no use: “I feel it’s just very superficial…. I feel like they try to care, but the workload and the thing that’s actually stressing people out doesn’t change at all” (Jernigan). In other words, while schools put effort into treating mental health, the main factor causing the issue does not change.

Jernigan also brings up the question of what about before? She says “It’s really strange to think about. What did mental illness look like back then? I think it probably has been there and has always been there, but people just didn’t accept it” (Jernigan). Mental health problems are ramping up, but they’ve

always been there. Ironically enough, with all the awareness given to the problem, it only gets worse.

What does the future look like for mental health? With COVID pandemic restrictions dying down, mask mandates being lifted, and stores reopening, our world is slowly going back to “normal”. But there lies another overlooked virus, hidden through popularity: social media. People are not conscious of why it spreads, but it travels around just like a virus.

This gives an even bigger sense of urgency for psychological help; social media is so easily accessible, while mental health services are not. These problems don’t go away overnight, and solutions are difficult to find.

“Every morning can be different. Every day can be different” (Alvarado). The future is unpredictable, and the struggles of mental health continue. It’s urgent that everyone does their best to treat themselves the best they can, and for more prioritization on this hidden problem overlooked by many.

About the Author

Hector Chang is a junior at Los Altos High School and also attends Freestyle Academy. He is very passionate about sports, food, and fashion. In his freetime, he likes to waste his time on his phone. He also enjoys going out to spend time with his family and friends, and he treasures these things very much. The QR code to his website is below.