Infographics

As a secondary school counsellor, it is usual for young people to explore their feelings of anxiety with me. Here are some of the things that young people are currently saying make them worry:

• Being viewed in a negative light by peers and adults, and seeking approval
• Grades and getting ‘back on track’ having missed schooling
• Tackling and managing the homework load
• Lack of time and feeling “over-programmed” 
• Family difficulties
• The future, specifically their place in the future and the speculation of what a post-COVID future looks like

Anxious feelings (different from an anxiety disorder) in the young people I currently work with are expressed in many ways. They can look like anger, sadness, grumpiness, self-doubt, or even a bad mood that cannot seem to shift. Heavy emotions like these are a normal part of adolescence as young people are still developing emotional regulation. Most of the time, these overwhelming emotions will come and go, and the students bounce back happily and go on with their day (UNICEF, 2017).

I am delighted to introduce a series of student posters created by M and S from our very own ISH ChangeMakers Club.

Being a teenager is difficult no matter what, and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is making it even harder. Missing out on events with friends, hobbies, or sports matches is incredibly disappointing. These are large-scale losses. They’re really upsetting and rightly so to teenagers. When it comes to having a painful feeling, the only way out is through. Processing feelings looks different for everyone. Some youngsters make art, some lose themselves in gaming and some are going to want to talk to their friends and use their shared sadness as a way to feel connected at a time when they can’t be together in person. More than ever, people need a trustworthy place to turn to for guidance and hope. Working with young people, I am realising that their first ‘trustworthy’ place to turn to is their friends.

The first poster in the series is “How to Tell If Your Friends Are Struggling with Depression”.

A student I spoke with told me “I am lucky that my brain isn’t chemically wired for depression but I’m all too aware that I have friendships with people who do have depression”.

If you are one of the lucky ones not prone to depression you need to have empathy for people whose minds are.

Students I meet are very open to talking about mental health and have a wish to watch out for their friends. Not only do they want to know the warning signs but they also want to engage with those about whom they are concerned. They do not want to downplay or stigmatise those feeling depressed. The poster reflects our students’ need to encourage inclusivity and care for their community face-to-face or online.