Mind Over Matter
Why don’t we take mental health seriously? Going to the pediatrician, I notice how they ask about the topic is, "are you social and do you have friends?" or "do you participate in after-school activities?" to assess our mental health. There's more to be done if psychologist-visits were required annually. Thus, my interest has shifted to wanting to support children with their mental health as a child psychologist.
Even today, I constantly mask my mental concerns by distracting myself with school. Rethinking about those hard times in school brings back the emotions I pushed down. As a black woman in America, my mental health struggles to keep up with our constantly evolving world. In our world, issues like racism, intergenerational trauma, and poverty disproportionately affect people of color. Mental health care accessibility is needed throughout the world.
I want to be the person that I wished I had during difficult times. I'll make sure to listen to the needs of marginalized students before it develops into long-term mental disorders. Representation to me isn't simply about representing, but also about being, it's about being the person low-income and minorities can talk to. It's hard to open up when you don't feel like anyone can relate to you. Minorities don't have a support system and that's who I want to be. It matters who you talk to and who understands the struggles you face.
Dory--yes, the fish--famously said, “Just keep swimming.” But sometimes when you are consumed by society’s unrealistic motto of “You don’t have to struggle in silence,” you tend to find yourself drowning in your sorrows. That’s the reality of mental health: it only becomes an issue when someone feels like they are underwater, and instead of swimming, they decide they will be better off below.
What we fail to realize is that everyone is going through something and everyone has something that they’ve had to overcome. We need to change our outlook on mental health and inspire us to unite to fight. If you have made it so far, there is always a reason to keep on going, why quit now? To examine this I spoke with the people who know it best: psychologists. These people have dealt with a variety of people concerning gender, race, and sexual orientation. Interviewing psychologists for articles provides a well-rounded scientific viewpoint of why these trends are so prevalent in our society and how their careers are going to help change the trends in numbers.
Afua Siaw is a 2021 Next Gen Summer Civic Fellow. She aspires to be a child psychologist when she grows up. She is a rising senior at the High School For Health Professions and Human Services. Some of her hobbies include photography, creative writing, volunteering, and activism.