The sooner we begin to listen and understand, the stronger they grow.
When a flower withers and wilts, we don’t blame the plant. We take time, care, and attention to consider the environment in which it grows. We work to give it the resources and nourishment it needs to come back to life and bloom.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re focusing our message and attention on supporting the mental well-being of our youth.
This month is dedicated to the youth and children who suffer:
- In silence
- Through tears
- Behind smiles
- With invisible wounds
- Resiliently and bravely
And those whose stories ended too soon.
Young People Today Face Mounting Challenges
Academic stress, social pressures, trauma, social media influences, and constant uncertainty; these factors all impact the mental health of our children and youth, often shaping their entire future.
Early intervention and prevention matter. When youth have trusted adults to turn to, access to care, and support systems in place, their chances for healing, resilience, and growth increase exponentially.
The sooner we enrich the soil they’re planted in, the sooner we believe in them, the stronger and more boldly they can heal and believe in themselves.
A Story that Needs to Be Told: CJ’s Journey
Thank you to CJ Vinas for bravely sharing her personal story. CJ Vinas is graduating from Keene State with a degree in psychology and a minor in addiction, and will immediately begin her graduate program for a Master’s in Social Work.
“Mental health is so very important, debatably even more important than physical health at times, if you ask me. Mental health shapes our worldview and actions, which are outward manifestations of our inner worlds. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been super anxious, worried that anyone talking with friends in public was talking about me and making fun of me; how I look, how I talk, my mannerisms, etc.
I was always the kid hiding under the table at my own birthday party while “Happy Birthday” was being sung, not knowing how to be comfortable when there was unfamiliar or mass attention on me.
As I got older, this made it harder for me to make new friends, go new places, and as a teen, branch out on my own and be secure in myself. In my later teens, I had a revelation in therapy, I rarely felt safe to be myself as a kid.
Home was rarely a safe place; there was constant yelling, often at me, and much of what I did was always picked apart and ridiculed. Rather quickly, this made me feel like it was unsafe to be myself, a feeling that I would carry subconsciously as a kid and adolescent, and now even into my adult life. As I continue to work through these feelings, I have a therapist who I trust and can talk through these feelings with when they’re especially prominent as well as having a close group of trusted and time tested friends who I know I can be myself around and reach out to if I need support or reassurance.”
CJ’s story is a powerful reminder of how vital it is for young people to feel safe, heard, and supported, and the lifelong impact early experiences can have.
This is one of the many reasons why Mental Health Awareness Month, especially for youth, is so important to us.
Understanding Youth Mental Health Today: An Urgent Need
- According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more than 1 in 3 high school students reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Suicide remains the second leading cause of death among people ages 10–24 in the United States
- In NH, rates of youth depression and anxiety have risen sharply, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic
Common mental health challenges among children and teens include anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD. Factors like bullying, social isolation, family instability, and socioeconomic pressures all contribute to rising mental health concerns.
The Power of Prevention and Early Support
It’s not enough to intervene once a young person is already in crisis. Prevention and early intervention are key. Families, schools, coaches, mentors, and community organizations all play a role in helping children feel seen, valued, and supported.
Early warning signs to look for include:
- Changes in behavior, appetite, or sleep
- Withdrawal from friends or activities
- Declining school performance
- Frequent complaints of headaches or stomachaches without a clear cause
- Expressions of hopelessness or low self-worth
The most powerful thing a concerned adult or parent can do is talk to their children and open up a conversation and dialogue about how they’re feeling. To reassure them, they ARE safe to be themselves and express who they are.
How Can You Help?
Families, caregivers, schools, and communities can make a life-changing difference by:
- Creating environments where kids feel safe to express themselves and encouraging them to discover and lean into who they are
- Recognizing the signs that a young person might be struggling
- Learning and sharing as we break the stigma one individual at a time
- Building resilience through strong relationships, open conversations, and emotional validation
- Talking openly with young people in your life about their feelings and mental health
- Modeling vulnerability and showing it’s okay to not be okay sometimes
- Advocating for more mental health resources in our schools and communities
Even small actions can send powerful messages of hope and support. When young people know it’s okay to ask for help and when help is readily available, the trajectory of their lives can change dramatically.
“Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.”
-Jess Lair
As with all the topics we raise awareness around here at Trauma Responsive Monadnock, Youth Mental Health is not a “May” issue. It’s an everyday reality for so many youth.
And it takes a community of support and a spirit of togetherness to help these young people grow and flourish. With compassion, education, and a willingness to listen, we can be part of the safety net every child deserves. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of our youth.
Join us this June for our Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training and learn how you can be there for the young people in your life!
YMHFA is a training program designed for adults to help them identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in youth ages 12-18. The course covers common mental health conditions, substance use issues, how to support youth in crisis, and ways to connect them to appropriate health.
Two options are available: morning or evening sessions to accommodate different schedules.
Morning Trainings:
Monday, June 2nd, 9am-12:30pm
Wednesday, June 4th, 9am-12pm. Register Here
Evening Trainings:
Tuesday, June 3rd, 5-8:30pm
Thursday, June 5th, 5-8pm. Register Here
Participants must attend both days of either the morning or evening training session.
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