Last year, the San Antonio Youth Commission conducted a survey on teen mental health, which revealed that one out of five teenagers in San Antonio was struggling with mental health issues and did not know where to seek help. Recently, the Santicos Theater screened a documentary on teen mental health that sparked a difficult but significant conversation among families attending the event. Like many teenagers, Evelyn, who is now 14 years old, found it challenging to cope with love withdrawal, which worsened with the pandemic and social media. The situation worried her mother, who took her to therapy, and they learned strategies to cope with her invisible wounds. Evelyn hopes more teenagers can get help and avail of affordable and accessible mental health assistance.
The San Antonio Youth Commission is committed to supporting mental health and hosted the Rise and Recovery event, where young people discussed healthy relationships, substance abuse, and shared resources with each other. The event had experts on mental health who wanted to educate and help teenagers. Sixteen-year-old Tai Tung, who wants to break the chain of shame surrounding mental health, expressed a wish for more support. Mr. Turon echoed Tai Tung’s sentiment and said that this whole generation must discuss matters that are often not talked about in schools and work towards making a difference.
The KSAT article also provides mental health resources for young people. Copyright 2023 by KSAT – All rights reserved.