2022 Mental Health Essay Contest Awardee: Silver
Unmasked
Anusha, Washington
Anxiety and the pit of depression shifted to self-harm. There wasn't a way to find happiness within the supposedly comfortable confines of home because of the isolation. Self-harm seemed the only way to distract and escape reality. Such are the stories from teenage girls. By choosing to tell these stories, I can save lives. In contrast, telling a story to a "stranger" or, in this case, a journalist, revealed the needed outlet to further the healing process. I had the opportunity to listen to one such story from a peer. As a journalist for the Yearbook, telling the stories of those who choose to share is essential to understanding their profound experiences. Discovering that one of my peers was suffering from poor mental health motivated me to use my resources to help her and listen to even more stories.
Depression is an isolated and often desperate battle to feel human. Recovery from depression takes incredible personal effort, patience, and, often, professional help. Our society and sometimes our own family stigmatize mental health issues, further alienating our support system. Lockdowns during the worldwide spread of COVID-19 turbocharged mental health issues while cratering resources needed to combat them. It was particularly evident in rural Eastern Washington (my hometown), an already sequestered and limited area regarding mental health resources.
As I progressed to being the Chief Editor for the Yearbook, I chose mental health as the key, although controversial, theme for the Yearbook during an unprecedented only online year. I listened, I empathized, and I used the Yearbook as a resource for struggling students navigating a world not experienced even by adults. "Underneath my outside face, there's a face that none can see. A little less smiley, a little less sure, but a whole lot more like me," Shel Silverstein said. I explored students beyond their masks, both physically and emotionally. I peeled back each layer of their story and as if I was peeling an onion, I shed some tears along the way. Typical yearbooks are a curated set of vibrant students trying to solely portray accomplishments akin to my Instagram feed. However, this book-making journey developed around the problematic areas of personal growth, relationships, and "unmasked" self-awareness, trying to balance both ups and downs. The simple title, ‘UNMASKED,’ evolved into a profound portrayal of our world. I recognized that the Yearbook (and the staff) is a powerful resource for students struggling with mental health challenges. As Maya Angelou said, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” The "UNMASKED" theme will forever be on the bookshelves of current students, read by generations of students to come.
The Yearbook is unique, providing the only window to the entire diaspora of high school. The Yearbook walks the unfortunately, but intentionally segregated paths including academics, sports, extracurricular clubs, staff, faculty, and brings it to life. The Yearbook is the only place where the “jocks, nerds, band-geeks, dorks,” and the anonymous co-exist. I never understood the power of the Yearbook until it was the only medium of communication for an unforgettable school year. Students, confined into their homes, were doubtful if there would be a return to society.
In a world where journalism and media have become mere platforms for advertising revenue, we are missing an opportunity to make a difference. The Yearbook is unique in that it simply reports through interviews and listening without an agenda or earnings. The yearbook staff remained diligent in representing the voice of the students during difficult times asking critical questions, “What is one word to describe your mental health”. We heard: “Lacking, Non-existent, Pessimistic, Paranoid.” The staff recognized that simply asking and listening to the hundreds of responses provided the necessary non-judgemental arena for expression. The Yearbook tackled a difficult issue by making it front-and-center.
How can we leverage this unique opportunity to remove the ever present stigma of mental health? There are many peer support programs across the country with great success. I propose that the yearbook staff become the eyes and ears with its unique access to all students in high school. I propose that the yearbook staff be trained to recognize the warning signs while they communicate with all the students. I propose that the yearbook staff give mental health the necessary air time to continue to reduce the stigma associated with mental health disorders.
There are approximately 25,000 high schools in America of which the large majority publish Yearbooks. Yearbooks capture an incredibly influential time in personal growth with an unequaled permanence. Yearbooks remain the beacon of print in a generation born and raised in an entirely digital world. Yearbooks generate a nostalgia that social media is incapable of. The reach and the permanence are a powerful combination to influence an entire generation on the importance of mental health in a public conversation.
As Joseph Pulitzer said, “journalism…a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its influence upon the minds and morals of the people.” Let’s embrace our responsibility and make a difference and shine a light where it’s so desperately needed to reduce the stigma of mental health across future generations.
NIH recognizes these talented essay winners for their thoughtfulness and creativity in addressing youth mental health. These essays are written in the students' own words, are unedited, and do not necessarily represent the views of NIH, HHS, or the federal government.
Page updated September 20, 2022
