Mental Health 101 by Kierstin

Mental Health 101 by Kierstin - February 2022 Scholarship Essay

Anxiety. Depression. Tired. Unmotivated. What is wrong with me? These words are heard countless times amongst my friends and my classmates. I even mutter them myself. After experiencing classes through the COVID closure and into the pandemic, I think we all have muttered these words. I am concerned with my generation and those younger. We seriously have endured learning in unprecedented times. It is expected that we not only do well academically in our classes, but participate in job shadows, volunteer, find an internship (preferably a paid one!), participate in extracurricular activities, gain leadership skills, and so on. The pandemic really threw curve balls at us in all of these areas. Our career plans have been put on hold, some of our plans have changed all together. No wonder mental health concerns are on the rise. What concerns me the most is how we try and self-diagnose ourselves. Or worse yet, try to self-medicate ourselves.

This class would bring to light what mental health diagnoses are and what the criteria are to attain those diagnoses. Those who teach it will need to be non-judgmental, knowledgeable and excited to share this information. The syllabus would include:
Module 1: Anxiety and Depression? Or am I in a Funk?
Module 2: Signs of Mental Health Concerns
Module 3: My Feelings- How to Know What is Normal
模块4:当我t Is Time to Seek Help
Module 5: How to Keep Anxiety and Depression at Bay
Module 6: Safe and Not-So Safe Treatments for What Ails Me
Module 7: Resources Available to Me- Who, What and Where to Get Help

Reaching out for mental health services has such a negative vibe attached to it. We need to help everyone get over that. We need to all understand what so-called normal feelings are, and when our feelings are considered to be unhealthy to our mental well being. We need to realize that EVERYONE feels up and down, happy or sad and that EVERYONE is susceptible to mental health issues. Therefore, the more we talk about it, try to understand it and become self aware of our own feelings, the better chance we have of staying well. The better chance we have of understanding others. The better chance we have of helping ourselves and others to reach out for help when needed without a stigma attached to it. COVID caused us to spend a lot of time alone, it is now time to come back together and help each other become stronger than ever.