From the Literary and Arts Magazine
By: G’yonna Smith
Introduction
So far, Meade Mustangs have been in school for almost a month. Slowly getting back into their routines, many Mustangs might be struggling to find their flow and keep up with the daily grind as scholars, some as both a scholar and student athlete. However, the Literary and Arts Magazine is here to help! Read below to learn about mental health in high schoolers and how you can manage yours in a positive, healthy way.
Mental Health in High Schoolers
There is a giant spectrum of studies about high schoolers and how they function differently from adults and children, but the most prominent study is of their mental health. In a recent survey from Pew Research Center, 1 in 5 teenagers reported to use Tiktok and Youtube, “almost constantly.” A survey from 2024 also found that both parents and teens think social media has the most effect on high schoolers, with teens also agreeing other factors are bullying, pressures and expectations from others.
While we can’t simply force all the blame on social media, it still does play a role in teenagers’ lives, especially in today’s society. Students use social media as an escape, or distraction from things causing their brains stress and overload. Some of those things include bullying, which can happen both in school and online. An insulting comment on a post or a rumor in school can lead someone to lose focus on assignments, avoid friends and family and even purposefully skip school. Due to this, teenagers can then really feel the pressures of school from the disapproval of their caretakers and judgement from others around them. To add, many teenagers worry about their future after high school. The repeating question of college, a job, a family. It can be a lot for one person, let alone someone whose brain isn’t even fully developed yet. These are just some worries that only cause fuel to the fire of teenagers struggling with mental health.
How Teens can Support Themselves and Their Mental Health
Despite the common struggles high schoolers face, there are still ways they can properly take care of themselves and maintain a positive mental state. First, the fundamental skill to proper mental health is having a good sleep schedule. For teenagers, they need a minimum of 8 hours and a maximum of 10. This helps teens more than you think! Getting proper sleep helps reduce anxiety and mood swings. Along with a good sleep schedule, reducing the usage of social media is beneficial for teens as well. As fun as it is to scroll, it doesn’t help in maintaining academics. Teens should give themselves breaks from the screens whenever possible, and try other activities like hanging out with friends, exercising, or finding new hobbies to try that make them feel good about themselves. Finally, for high schoolers who are struggling academically, they can improve their grades by seeing teachers during gray and black blocks and emailing their teachers whenever necessary. An important part of being a young adult is taking responsibility for yourself, and as a student, for your learning. These are just some simple ways students can manage their mental health as we begin this school year at Meade.
