Let's talk about it Therapy is rapidly on the rise Elle Horst *Trigger warning: this article contains mentions of self-harm and mental health struggles that may be triggering for some readers.
Elle Horst
She’s tired, anxious, and depressed. The weekend did little to refresh her. She dragged herself to school but could barely focus and get work done. But it’s finally Wednesday, and the final bell has rung. After what feels like an endless headache of work, social stress, school, she can now get some release. She heads to her weekly therapy session, already feeling lighter inside. This scenario is familiar to many people. In recent years, therapy has been in increasingly high demand, with a high percentage of these patients being teens and preteens struggling with mental health. “We have seen a significant rise in the rates of depression and anxiety in our teenage population, [even] prior to the pandemic,” said Casey Sherman, a pediatrician. Sarah Woods,* a Carlmont senior whose name has been changed to protect sensitive information, is one such teenager. She began seeing a therapist when she was a freshman to cope with declining mental health. “I had a lot of stuff going on with my family and friends, and that combined with other factors made me feel very overwhelmed,” Woods said. “I started therapy because my mother found out I was beginning to use unhealthy coping mechanisms like self-harming to deal with my issues.” Since starting therapy, Woods has found it to be a beneficial practice and believes it to be a significant factor in her mental wellbeing. She feels it has given her a safe space to vent and release some of the burdens and pressures she experiences without fear of social repercussions or judgment from her peers. “I have someone to talk to about my problems that aren’t close to me,” Woods said. “I feel comfortable sharing things I normally wouldn’t with others because [my therapist] doesn’t know everything about me and is more removed and judgment-free about my situations.” On top of the already rising rates of therapy,
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