The halls buzz with students excitingly chattering with peers; however, among these students, others can be seen with heads down not talking to anyone and filled with anxiety.
School is a place where students learn and socialize; however, for some teens, it’s the peak place for anxious feelings. They worry about grades, friends and the future. It can be too much to handle and often goes unnoticed.
The stress continues to pile on them.
On top of all of the school work, students can find little time for themselves to relax. They often can’t find time for fun in between school and homework. They may also be pressured to make plans with friends, leading to more stress and anxiety, which tends to be forgotten.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 7 people from ages 10 to 19 undergo mental health issues, and they often go unnoticed and untreated. Anxiety just continues to rise in teens. The number of kids and teens with anxiety went up 20% from 2007 to 2012, just 5 years.
School puts a lot of pressure on students to be perfect. Teachers pass out tons of homework each night. Students must study and do piles of homework to get good grades. They must get good grades to get into a good college, which parents frequently expect. Schools and parents hold students to unrealistic expectations.
I believe that anxiety should be recognized more. It’s more common than people realize. Students that constantly show a smile on their face, usually struggle the most with mental health issues. Many suffer in silence either because they want to handle it themselves, or they’re too scared to say something.
Teachers shouldn’t expect so much from their students, and parents shouldn’t put so much pressure on them to be perfect. If it goes unnoticed for too long, these problems could lead to more mental health issues, including depression. Anxiety needs to be taken care of before it can get any worse.
I’ve tried to reach out and talk to people, but often get dismissed, like it’s not a real problem. They tell me that I’m not in any hard classes and there’s no reason for me to feel overwhelmed or struggle in school. Because of this, I’m not getting the help I feel that I need. If teens reach out, they should be taken seriously. They should feel safe talking about their problems, instead of feeling like they must handle it themselves. More people should recognize anxiety.
