"I just felt worthless.”
This is one of the many voices of depression that go unnoticed in school. Schools place a lot of emphasis on being physically healthy while some students need help when suffering from psychological issues.
Mental health has a strong correlation to physical health, as weak mental health can lead a person to do very little exercise and to indulge into unhealthier foods in large quantities. This ignorance of such an important factor in student health can rip apart a student’s confidence and effort.
Depression is a common mental affliction that causes moderate to severe sadness in people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it can cause large amounts of emotional pain to its victims, and may lead to problems completing tasks. Many who experience depression exhibit low self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, odd drops or increases in sleep and appetite, and irritable mood. The WHO also states that suicide brought on by depression leads to an estimated 1 million deaths every year.
“I just never wanted to leave my bed and I never told anyone. I never wanted to deal with the hassle of people knowing,” said sophomore Jet Penne. “My friends were all in the dark, and I felt it was just easier that way. I worked a little harder than normal so my grades would stay intact, and I put a mask on in front of my friends.”
His story parallels many others: hiding his real feelings due to feeling that no one would understand him. Another common parallel is that school demands even more effort from those who are depressed because of how hard it is to work on something when it's difficult to even get out of bed.
Many students who suffer through depression lose purpose in school and cannot apply themselves. They begin to push friends and family away. The truth is that only people who have felt what they went through can really understand them.
The National Institute of Mental Health stated that depression affects a person in how they act socially. Their new social persona can cause some tensions in friendships. Many people are familiar with friends becoming distant or just wanting to be alone. That is typical of a person who has depression.
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Sophomore Alyssa Fong shared her experience about a friend who had depression. “My friend just became distant, and would occasionally get worked up on stuff that never bothered him before. It was an entire personality shift," said Fong. "He never wanted it to be brought up, and the thought of being judged on it hurt him personally. It hurts watching someone you know suffering, and not being able to help them out.” Many students don’t get the help they need. In fact, according to the WHO, fewer than 6 percent of students get treated for their depression.
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Carlmont crisis counselor Shelley Bustamante described what many students who come to her go through. “There is always this direct impact with how they feel and how they act. I almost always hear about their grades dropping, and how they slowly detach themselves from their friends. Their change in sleeping and eating habits change their energy level for the worse, and they become more and more quiet ultimately losing a lot of their friends. It just flat out drains them, and I can see how hard it is for them to function.” Many students don’t come forward and get the help they need for their depression, whether it be due to their own feelings caused by the illness or the social stigma surrounding the issue.