By Micaela Hohlbein
According to the Detroit Free Press, on Feb. 3, 2018, Shealynn Pobuda, age 14, became the third student in the small town of Kingsley, Mich., to take their own life. All three happened within months. All across America, teen suicide continues to grow at a rapid pace. School counselors need to check in with students weekly to ensure teens always have someone they can talk to about their feelings.
Often, the victim seems to have the happiest life. According to Alysia Valoras, the mother of a teen who committed suicide, “There was so much joy in everything she did, and it doesn’t match what was in that journal. There were 200 pages of self-loathing and despair.”
A smile can be one of the worst lies someone can tell. When people see a smile, they associate it with happiness, which for a lot of teens is not the case. Not only could a teen be living in darkness, they could also be hiding their feelings.
Teens spend most of their time at school where they can speak with someone about their issues. According to the American School Counselors Association, in most U.S. schools there are only three counselors for around 1,500 students.
School counselors are among the most equipped people to handle suicidal thoughts and actions in teenagers. They understand the struggles teens go through, and they can help find a solution to the problems kids and teens face. At Clarkston Junior High, there are many students who have never made an appointment to meet with their counselors. If we were given weekly check-ups, with more counselors available, it would allow more students to feel comfortable when speaking to someone. School boards must address the lack of counselors within U.S. schools in order for students to receive necessary help when mental health issues arise.
Many factors can cause teens to become suicidal if they are not given the proper attention. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, some suicide risk factors include depression, bullying, family stress/dysfunction, and situational crises like the death of a loved one or sexual/physical abuse.
Situations like these are degrading to the mental health of teens. Struggling teens start to feel as if they have no purpose in this world and they are just a burden in the lives of others. They begin to feel alone and lost in their thoughts. This means they won’t share their concerns due to feeling alone and embarrassed. Without getting these thoughts out and shared, these teens will not be able to get the proper help they deserve. This will cause them to fear that these feelings will never go away, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.
Lastly, speaking with someone about an issue can help to eliminate thoughts of suicide in youth. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, “A good therapist can help you cope with feelings, problem solve, and change behavior patterns that may contribute to your symptoms.”
This means counselors can not only be the source of help for a suicidal teen, but they can also act as their shoulder to cry on. The more often teens talk to their school counselors, the more open they will be with them. When teens begin to feel more comfortable with someone, they will be more willing to share their feelings and receive necessary help, which will result in teens recognizing the potential they have. These interventions could save many lives.
Many parents and teachers would argue having a weekly check-up would take away time from academics. But a check-in could simply be asking, “How are you feeling this week?” In fact, according to a study conducted by Josh Shipp, 31percent of students aged 13-18 admit to lying to their parents about suicidal thoughts.
Too many teens are attempting to handle suicidal thoughts alone, when a five minute chat with their counselor could make all the difference in their lives. As a nation, we must look out for the mental health of our teenagers; after all, they are the future of our country. The difference between life and death in the cases of many American teenagers is simply having someone to talk to. Schools need to address this by providing more counselors who will make frequent contact with their students. If not, the potential of many of our bright students could be lost forever.
Clarkston Junior High 8th grade Honors ELA students wrote columns focused on increasing activism. The top six were submitted to The Clarkston News.