Mental health matters. Bringing awareness to people's mental health will likely help them and others around them in the long run. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, celebrating the loved ones lost every year, bringing awareness to people about how badly one’s mental health can affect them and letting others who struggle in silence know that it’s okay to reach out for help.
It can be very scary for many people to open up about how they feel or things that are bothering them, but experts say that is the only way for anyone to know how they can help. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 16 million Americans are affected by depression, and some of those people likely don’t bring it up to anyone.
According to the National Association for Special Educational Needs in the United Kingdom, four in 10 teens and young adults think that mental health is “a taboo subject.” The same study found that only a third of young people feel comfortable talking about their mental health, compared to 48% across all age groups and 63% of those over 75.
One of Warren Central’s counselors, Patrick O’Brian, has always been a naturally caring person, and listening to the hardships his students tell him about really impacts him.
“Just because I leave at 2:45 doesn’t mean I stop thinking about them,” he said. “Many times, I reflect on what I can do to better support them the next time I see them at school.”
O’Brian has worked as a counselor at Warren for almost two years, so he has experienced many different kinds of situations and emotions that come with the teens he talks to. O’Brian said that it’s hard to keep peace of mind and avoid letting his work seep into his personal life. He tries to go to the gym as much as possible, because he knows he is only able to give his students the best by taking care of himself while also having the support he needs as well.
Speaking about mental health has always seemed like one of the scariest concepts to many young people, and O’Brian is making a difference for every student and really getting to know them for who they truly are and want to be.
“I do my best to let every student know I care about them,” he said. “As a school counselor and having raised two children who struggle with mental health and anxiety, I understand how important it is for students to have an adult they can trust. Being a teenager can be hard, and my top priorities are to support my students in their academics, career development and personal growth.”