Mental health is a vital issue for many teenagers. It becomes incredibly prevalent throughout the teenage years because of the stress that school and social relations cause. With the ongoing Covid Pandemic, many students’ stress levels have worsened. Coming back to school full-time, in person, is a lot for anyone to take in, so many people’s mental health is at a decline.

      Outside forces such as family or friendships can lead to bad mental health. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, mental health can affect students’ optimism, energy levels, and concentration. It drains them and lessens their motivation. Many students get exhausted from school and often lose all motivation for it. Instead of helping them with their grades dropping, the school frequently punishes them for it. 

     The phenomenon of a gifted child burning out is very much a real and important issue. Children, when they are younger, are labeled as talented due to them being academically brilliant. As they grow older, most of these kids become depressed and develop anxiety. They start losing all the motivation for school that they once had. Burnout, according to the Davidson Institute, is the result of long-term stress. How can these children burn out? It’s because of the pressure the label “gifted child” brings. It forces children to put emphasis upon themselves and tire themselves out from the expectations of family and teachers.

     Teenagers, even without the gifted label, are struggling with their mental health. They feel like they are not enough and try to do more and stress themselves over it. According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-19 year-olds. Those years are often hardest for students, because they are not only thinking about their lives in the present, but also what their lives will be like in the future. The stress of how your grades can impact college choices and eventual career path is difficult to pressure.

     Children who are a part of the LGBTQ community, or a portion of an ethnic minority group, are constantly at greater risk of suicide, according to the World Health Organization. If a student is going through rough living situations, bullying, or child abuse, the impact of school can make their mental health even worse. 

     Schools need to start focusing on students’ mental health. They should offer assistance to students that are struggling by offering therapy at school, and teaching students more about mental health. Often when schools do not communicate and punish instead, students feel discouraged. A way to make them feel better is to create an environment where all students can share openly with their teachers about their struggles and help with them.