THE SCEPTERFEBRUARY 2017 1 7

MENTAL FOCUS DIVING INTO THE

MIND

V

TH

Camryn Bowers, Alyssa Foral, Chloe’ Grimm, Hannah Im, Nicole Ludden & Faith Workman

Right now, in this very moment, your brain is working frantically, whizzing and buzzing around, trying to pull the taut strings that work your body relentlessly day and night. Our brain, the biological puppeteer, is literally the mastermind behind our every blink, our every breath, and our every heartbeat. However, even the most imperative organs have their faults, and those faults can be detrimental not only to themselves, but the entire body.

The human brain has many daily responsibilities: it must coordinate many functions of the body that people do not think twice about, such as motor functions. It has the ability to interpret information sent by the ears, eyes and sensory organs, and helps us perform vital

operations like maintaining blood pressure, releasing hormones and breathing.

However, when our brain fails to function normally, every part of the body can be affected.

“The added pressure of social life online, in- and out-of-school relationships, and stress from classes has a major effect on the teenage mind that’s still developing,” psychology teacher Mr. Romie Brown said.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, one in five people with a mental illness get the condition between age 14 and 24. Many who suffer from depression, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder generally show signs before age 24, even though there is really no age bias

for mental illnesses. “Causes of mental illnesses

vary from person to person,” AP Psychology and Law Academy teacher Mr. Dave Herbener said. “Most have biological components that lead to chemical imbalances, which cause irrational thinking and behavioral changes.”

The most common mental illnesses among teens are depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and panic disorders, and eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Other disorders include schizophrenia, mood disorders, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), OCD and types of impulse addictions.

As much as genetics play a role in developing mental illnesses, social factors also have a significant effect.

1 8 OPINIONFEATURESFOCUS

SPORTSENTERTAINMENT

CHEMICALLY IM

S T A T I S T I C S

3 FAMILY

F I R S T

genetics have a large impact on mental health

S I G N S

mental illness presents itself during adolescence ranging from ages 14-24

24 years old is the average age for the beginning signs of schizophrenia

25-33% of teens with mental illnesses forgo the care they need

RDsuicide is the third leading cause of death for teens and young adults

AVG . %*national institute of mental health, national alliance of mental health

“Social media can influence teenagers to negatively deal with their problems,” Brown said. “For instance, there are websites encouraging anorexia or other bad habits that can harm the body.”

Social media is also prone to increasing the amount of self-diagnoses, especially among teens, thus causing them to believe they have something that they don’t. However, what could simply be normal teenage hormones can easily be something worse.

Studies from the National Center of Children in Poverty show that 25-33% of teens forgo needed care, and many untreated illnesses end negatively.

“People want to give a name to what they’re feeling and their

symptoms, but they end up being misinformed and diagnosed,” Herbener said.

Being professionally treated is anyone’s best bet since there is no actual cure for mental illness; the symptoms can only be subdued significantly with treatment.

“The most popular forms of treatment in this day and age would definitely be medication and counseling,” Herbener said.

Seeking help is important, but it isn’t easy. There are noticeable symptoms that can be detected by anyone; but even in situations that seem small, it’s better to be overly cautious than not care enough.

“We’re a lot better at diagnosing mental illnesses since we know exactly what to look for [when it

comes to symptoms],” Brown said. If you’re worried about someone

you know or someone close to you, it’s better to play it safe and tell an adult or school counselor, even if this angers them.

As goes for your own mental health, if you showcase certain symptoms that concern you and family members, for the best outcome, it’s highly recommended to find professional help and be properly diagnosed.

The brain is the most vital organ in the human body, and not everyone’s works just the same. When it comes to mental health everyone should take precautions, because even the puppeteer needs a break once in awhile.

THE SCEPTERFEBRUARY 2017 1 9

C BALANCEDHEMICALLY IM BY CHLOE GRIMM

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

Every day, 1 in 5 teens suffers from mental illness, making our awareness and guidance even more important.

T R E A T M E N T S

genetics have a large impact on mental health

25-33% of teens with mental illnesses forgo the care they need

NEOLITHIC ERA

18TH CENTURY

1930

1940-60

1970

NOWMedication & Dialectical behavior therapy

Hydrotherapy, Lithium, Electroshock therapy

“Humane care” hospitalizationdiscipline and isolation

Medication, surgeries for persistent illnesses

Wider variety of medication

Lobotomies to release spirits

On PLPulse.com, one writer shares her personal experience with bipolar disorder

and post-traumatic stress disorder.

*national institute of mental health, national alliance of mental health *www.pbs.org

2 0 OPINIONFEATURESFOCUS

SPORTSENTERTAINMENT

Emily Roberts grew up feeling isolated because she could not see that anyone else was like her. She was an anxious little kid, and that made change hard for her, but she was not alone like she thought. Mental illness and mental disorders impact 450 million people, making mental illness one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

Mental illness is taboo in our society, and the lack of attention for it causes people suffering to feel isolated and alone. Now, students are speaking up to educate their peers and teachers about their struggle with mental illness.

Certain aspects of life in and out of school can cause these students to feel even more anxious, and make their day-to-day lives more of a struggle.

“I’ve never eaten in the cafeteria because there is too much of a crowd and a lot of noise,” junior Emily Roberts said.

But every person suffering with mental illness reacts to everything differently.

“Since my anxiety got worse after my dad died, jokes about illness and cancer can bring on anxiety attacks,” sophomore Reagan Dean said.

However, mental illness not only impacts the social aspects of life, but the educational aspect too.

“I’m on a 504 plan that helps me since I miss so much school, but the fact that I need a legal document to give me the help in school I need is ridiculous,” Roberts said. “I overthink everything and try to be a good student. But it definitely changes how I work.”

And it is not just the amount of school they miss and the heavy work load they face.

“It’s so difficult to focus in class and get the motivation I need,” Dean said. “But excuses aren’t just excuses, they’re my reality.”

Mental illnesses are not seen, but that does not mean they are not there. This makes treating it much different from a physical illness.

“It takes a long time, and you can’t just give up,” Roberts said. “I’ve been in therapy for five years, and it took me three years to figure out the right combination of meds.”

Even after years of treatment, it can still be hard to remember that there will be good days and there will be bad days.

“Sometimes it feels like you haven’t made a lot of progress, but when you look back you really have,”

Roberts said. One of the most common

misconceptions about mental illness is that it can be used for attention, but that is a dangerous assumption to make.

“My mental illness is not a choice or a cry for attention,” Dean said.

These students keep pushing through their daily lives despite their struggles.

“You have to put your mental and emotional health before school,” Roberts said. “You have limits and you have to realize that.”

Even through the painful generalizations made about mental illness, the people suffering stay strong no matter how hard it may be.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. The fact people think it is a part of the problem,” Roberts said.

Mental illness is not a choice and it is not a cry for attention. It is very real, especially for the people who suffer with it everyday. We can ignore what we do not see, but they do not have a choice to ignore it. It is time to end the taboo around mental illnesses and disorders and talk about them instead. Staying quiet on the subject is isolating and hurts everyone around us who deal with it every day.

SPEAKING UPBY ALYSSA FORALPAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

With a growing stigma around mental illness, it is becoming more and more essential to start the conversation about this prevalent topic.

THE SCEPTERFEBRUARY 2017 2 1

Living with a mental illness is not like having a cold.

You do not take a pill and eat healthier, there is no “getting over it,”

and most importantly, no “going out in nature” and being spontaneously healed by

the colors of the wind. This isn’t Pocahontas.This is a disease, a serious illness that

affects your brain. It is not the same as having a bad day, or an excuse to get out of doing

schoolwork. It is not a cry for attention and a reason for people to feel sorry for you. It is not

sadness, but hopelessness. Not a “little stressed,” but grasping for air. Mental illness isn’t a mood. It is a plague.

Lately it seems harder to realize the truths about mental illness and its effects on our generation. Kids are choosing to leave the world, families cold and destroyed trying to figure out how they could have been there for them more. Students have anxiety levels that go past the point of drinking some tea and getting the healthy eight hours of sleep. There are teens skipping lunch because of depression, throwing themselves

into extracurricular activities to escape harsh realities their minds throw at them, and

displaying anger towards teachers for not knowing how to help.

I do not think that the problem is the lack of understanding, but

the lack of interacting. Admit it, it is hard to comfort

someone who is crying, or

someone who is sitting alone at lunch. We do not know how to react and often the biggest fear is rejection. They may isolate or block themselves off and it makes us overwhelmingly uncomfortable to give emotional support to someone we barely know. But the harsh reality is the “what if...” of the situation.

What if I sat next to that girl at lunch or sent a message to that boy on Facebook who was saying that nobody cared? Even your best friend at times, who cried when no one was watching, not even you, but when you caught her... she wiped the tear away and whispered “I’m fine.” The fact of the matter is not that you are obligated to devote your entire emotional self to the safety and well being of others, but realizing that the little things matter. In fact, they make a world of difference.

Bringing awareness to the common misconceptions and assumptions of mental illnesses is the first step to addressing and helping those who suffer through them. By educating yourself and finding ways to be there for your friends, we can lower the suicide rates and the amount of self-harm that sadly plague our generation.

UP

People are quick to judge when it comes to mental health in our generation.

OPINION BY FAITH WORKMANPAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

THE SCEPTERFEBRUARY 2017 0 3

F E A T U R E S

N E W S & O P I N I O N

S P O R T S

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

CLAIRE NEIL & KAYLEE PENRY

HANNAH IM ELLIOTT WOLBACH &

FAITH WORKMAN

NATE GENDLER& DYLAN NICHOLSON

KASSIDY BROWN& MEGAN KRABBENHOFT

ALEXA BUSBY ALYSSA FORAL MEGAN FRIEL IZZY HAAVE MOLLEE SWIFT

EMMA HIGBY LAUREN LAFOND EMILY LINGELBACH HANNA OLSON DELANI WATKINS

LAUREN DOMINELLO CHLOE GRIMM TREVOR KALAL KENNEDY SAUTTER CAITLYN THOMAS

2 0 1 6 - 1 7

P L H S J O U R N A L I S M S T A F F

SCEPTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICOLE LUDDEN

PLPULSE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCJ CURRY

DESIGN CAMRYN BOWERS

BRENDON BOATWRIGHT HANNAH CAHILL HUNTER POMBRIO JOSEY RYAN DEVIN VETTER

COPY RAINA DODGE

COVERAGE BRITTANY KELLNER

PEYTON COSE JULIA HARKER

EDITORIAL

EDITORS PHOTOGRAPHY

BRENA GROEPERTREVOR LEWIS

What if, one day, we entered these predictable linoleum floors of our high school, and saw things as they are? Students limp by pathetically, unable to balance burdensome backpacks upon the weight of their crutches. The highest-achieving A-students wobble around with gauze repressing their bloody heads. Some even check in their varsity jackets for wheel chairs and IV poles, completely defenseless.

And despite the severity of their pain, despite the authenticity of their illness--they all are suffering in silence.

Although we cannot directly see all of those who suffer from illness, this does not disregard the fact that many people are suffering. The prevalence of mental illness in youth peaks to threatening heights, even as we enter a new year.

In fact, according to the National Alliance on Mental

Illness, 1 in 5 youth between the ages of 13-18 are suffering from a mental illness right now. This means that by the time you pass from first hour to second, you are more than likely passing by a peer who is suffering from the anguish of his or her own internal struggle.

Sometimes, the weight of schoolwork, a social life and extracurricular activities causes each of our individual bulging backpacks to break. Our young, flourishing minds cannot adjust to the weight being unloaded into them.

Considering this, the difficulty in helping those with mental illness arises in the fact that one cannot see these invisible afflictions. So what can we do to ensure that those who need help are able to receive the attention they deserve?

The most significant way to help others is to know the signs of mental disorders. Just as coughs

and runny noises signify an onset cold, a suddenly withdrawn personality, lack of appetite and increased agitation all signify the common mental disorder of depression.

When we are aware of the warnings, we can identify the cause.

The peers we interact with everyday do not make it clear that they may need help. They are not limping on crutches, oozing blood or depending on wheel chairs. This does not mean that they do not need our help.

By dealing with the outstanding prevalence of mental illness amongst our youth as a priority, others will follow suit. The world will never understand the dire importance of this invisible epidemic until you try to understand it for yourself.

The Invisible Illness

KAYLEN MALTAIS JOANNA WALTON