When you ask someone “do you want to be healthy”, they will immediately answer with a yes. Everyone wants to be healthy, it's not even a question that's worth asking.

As a teenager, I’ve had a weird relationship with mental health. I think being a teenager is weird in itself. There are so many changes happening, it is impossible to feel neutral about all of them. During these few years, bodies change, people change, basically everything changes. These changes can be hard to take in and adjust to. Sometimes everything around you seems to be changing but you. 

 

Personally, another big challenge is the uncertainty that the future holds. Especially in times of covid, the future is really unpredictable. Waiting for the future to unfold can be scary. You never know if you are prepared for it or not. There is always this question that pops up in my mind, “will I be successful or will I fail?” It is a question that always leads me to overthinking. There is always this scenario in my head where my parents are disappointed and that thought scares me. These teenage times are also when we have the most options. That is a great thing but sometimes I am faced with a challenge of what to do. It's hard to find something to be passionate about and follow through with it. Just being afraid of the future has had a huge toll on my thoughts which eventually determines if I am happy or not. 

 

The biggest hurdle for me is my own insecurities. I am sure many people can relate to this. Whenever I see someone on social media or even in real life, it can be hard to not compare myself to them. It has a huge impact on my mental health as it can make me feel insecure and less than. In times like that, I talk to my friends and have faith in myself. 

 

Stress also drastically impacts my mental state and unfortunately, students like me are almost always stressed. There is always an assignment to complete or a test to study for. There is also the need to balance everything; entertainment, family time and also some time alone. It is hard and almost overwhelming at times. Sometimes all you want to do is to stop working and stressing and just stay in bed all day. Things I find helpful is to just believe in myself and stay optimistic. 

 

Having a good mental state can affect one’s quality of life and so, it is important to stay happy. While it's important to work and stay on task, I think finding something that brings joy and excitement into your life is very important. 

 

Another way to rejuvenate yourself is talking to someone you trust. Sharing your story and gaining another perspective on it can be very helpful. It can help change your perspective for the better and make you feel at ease. Another thing is to relax and do something you love. It can lift up your mood and make you feel better. Taking care of 

 

If someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, then here are some tips to support them. Firstly, you need to be compassionate and understanding. There isn’t much you can do if you don’t understand the situation, they are in. Sometimes all you need to do is let them know that you are there for them. The hardest part about sharing issues with someone is the fear of not being understood. You need to be understanding even if it is hard. When helping someone, it also takes time and patience. You can't force someone to talk when they are not ready. Lastly, one of the most important ones is spending time with them. When someone is going through some hard things you need to let them know that they have your support. It can help comfort them and reassure them that they are not alone. 

 

Everyone aspires to be healthy. Mental health is a crucial part of our health and wellbeing. Mental health is a huge and very important topic that hasn’t gotten enough attention like it should. As Naomi Judd said, “Your body hears everything your mind says”. So, let’s take care of our minds and become happier and healthier!