Society must support youth in crisis

Things aren't going well for you. Your family doesn't seem to get along as they used to, your grades are faltering, and you try desperately to keep up with your endless extracurriculars, homework and studying for AP tests.

It would be easier just to die, no?

This situation is familiar to so many teens and even many adults in the United States. Yet many are not adequately supported by anyone through their times of crisis.

The easiest and perhaps the most effective way to support youth is through their family. They can ensure that teens are safe during crisis, provide emotional support and hotlines if necessary, and refer them to professionals for help. But what if your family is less than supportive or cannot afford care?

The school support system is a double-edged sword: it is effective for some but detrimental for others. It often requires students to take time off of class to access therapy without the knowledge of parents, but this leaves students behind on their classes. For those whose stress is mostly academic, missing school for treatment is the worst option, and thus, many youth stay silent. For some in less well-funded districts, there may not be systems of support in place at all.

In big cities, and even some smaller ones, there are oftentimes dozens of organizations who are willing to support youth. However, their funding is often reliant on the government, who in recent months has cut funding for whatever mental health programs we have left.

For the growing teenaged population in the United States, we must keep the funding we have and strive to create more opportunities for healing and growth.