𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙰𝙻 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙻𝚃𝙷 𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽𝚂:

𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 #1: 16-𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬

This information is quoted from this person and their experience and has chosen to keep their information private.

Q: Have you been diagnosed by a mental health professional with a mental illness? If so which one(s)?

A: No I have not.

Q: Do you think you may have a mental illness? ( answer only if u answered no to the first question)

A: Yes, ocd and anxiety

Q: What is it like living with your condition?

A: It’s really hard being that everything has a consequence. By that, I mean that certain everyday tasks, such as turning on the faucet or shutting of the lights require extra patience. I’m not of the worse type, where they feel the need to do it or else a family member will die, but more so I have to do it or else I’ll feel guilt. The guilt in my life ties in with every action. Simply cursing or doing anything I think will land me in trouble make me feel so overwhelmed.

Q: Tell me about yourself?

A: I’m 16, I’m from NYC. I love dogs. Thats basically it

Q: How do you cope?

A: Through friends. Social life, to me, is extremely important. My friends have gotten me through a lot in life, as well as music. I try to distract myself, whether thats facetjming someone or its plugging in my headphones.

Q:What do you think caused or contributed to your mental illness?

A: I think for guilt, its the extreme parental pressure and need to be the perfect daughter. For ocd, I cant yet say. The habit was formed over the years.

Q: What do you feel is the main issue that contributes to mental illness not having the much needed attention?

A: The taboo around it. Most people consider that its embarrassing. However, certain age groups enjoy faking their mental illnesses for attention which invalidates everyone elses’.

Q: How does being a teen in 2021 affect our mental health?

A: I think as a society we’re progressing. Teens and adults (excluding parents), have learned to listen and help teens, instead of shutting them down.

Q: What can family and friends do to help someone facing a mental health issue?

A: Comfort. That's it. Don't invalidate, you don't even have to give advice, just listen and comfort.

Q: What can schools do better to better the mental health of students?

A: Give students a free pass when needed. Mental health days are needed. Maybe having a psychologist at school that kids can confide in, will help.

Q: What is the biggest stigma around teen mental health?

A: That its irrelevant . Being that we’re young we don't know what we’re talking about.

Q: How does culture and ethnicity tie into mental health?

A: In Asian cultures and ethnic households, grades must be maintained. Parents are adamant on what their children should and shouldn’t do. Breaking the boundaries will lead to being a long term disappointment and a grudge to your parents. Often these standards affect us mentally.

Q: How did you realize you needed help? Who did you go to for help?

A: I haven’t gone to anyone licensed for help.

Q: Best advice you could give someone going through a mental illness.

A: Don't give up, take it day by day. It's okay to not be okay.

Q: Describe your story/journey with depression,anxiety,etc.

A: Well both my anxiety, in the form of guilt, and my ocd started at a very young age. The anxiety started probably in 1st to 2nd grade. The ocd started in like 5th grade. I wasn’t old or educated enough to know what both those things were and that they aren’t normal.

Q: How does being in high school help or hurt your personal mental health?

A: The stress of getting into a good college and continuously pleasing your parents, maintaining school grades, don’t help. They hurt your mentality.

Q: Do you feel school-based mental health treatments and/or resources are beneficial?

A: I wouldn’t know, but I would say no. School officials only know you by name and record, not much they can do.

Q: Have you ever had suicidal thoughts?

A: Yes

Q: What are the best resources for suicide prevention?

A: The hotline, which isn’t really that helpful. I would say therapy.

Q: What are the biggest perils in actually getting help? (Example:money, family, etc)

A: Family

Q: How has COVID-19 personally affected you?

A: I think being home really helped me grow mentally. I learned to be a little self dependent. I learned how to deal with my problems.

Q:What does it mean to have a mental illness?

A: It means constantly feeling like you did something wrong, a knot in your stomach. The constant need to fix things around you. Straighten books and fix your bed even if you don’t want to. It’s annoying to have a mental illness.

Q: What are warning signs that people should look for?

A: Self harm, the way people speak, the way they react, how they carry out relationships.

Q: What’s the difference between sadness and depression?

A: Sadness is a temporary feeling. Depression is uncontrollable, it’s often times permanent, without treatment.

Q: Do you feel the resources put in place in our country are beneficial? Have they helped you? (Eg: Sucidie prevention hotline etc)

A: Somewhat, but I wouldn’t know.

Q: What kinds of people do you think are more likely to have depression? A

A: People who have high stress, terrible financial problems, not so great home life