1. Family members who already struggle with mental illness

Many of my family members struggle with Mental Illness. My aunt has Bipolar schizophrenia and depression. Growing up I would see my Aunt struggle with her thoughts or hallucinations. My Grandma struggled with Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). My little sister was recently diagnosed with major depression disorder, general anxiety disorder, insomnia, and OCD. Mental illness can run through your family just as it does in mine. That's why mental Illness has a huge impact on my life because I’ve seen my loved ones struggle and it is a sensitive topic to me because I feel helpless.

2. Psychical appearance

A majority of teens in America struggle with their physical appearance. It can take a big toll on how they perceive themselves and can later lead to major depression or anxiety. Teens in today’s society want to meet the expectations of having the perfect physical appearance. I myself, have encountered times where I get mad at myself for the way I look. I have told myself negative thoughts, I overthink a lot about what people think of me, and I have had an eating disorder because of my physical appearance.

3. Social Media

Social media can have a huge impact on teens' mental health. Social media can be very toxic by creating an image of how teens are supposed to look, dress, and eat. I have social media and I tend to create this image of being perfect. Social media can be really toxic when you try to be someone you’re not. Oftentimes, I catch myself envying girls on social media because of how pretty they are and their physical appearance. On all social media whether its Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat , and TikTok and all these expectations you see on social media makes it feel overwhelming because you're trying to live up to those expectations. Social media can lead to Mental Illness.

4. Relationships

Usually toxic relationships can make people fall into deep depression whether it’s during or after the relationship. A relationship with a partner or relationships with friends can be toxic as well. Some relationships can lead you into a deep whole of depression. Some might peer pressure you into doing things you shouldn’t which can later lead to mental illness. Some relationships can cause you to have insecurities that can lead to low self esteem or anxiety. I myself have been in a relationship where all these issues have applied to me. It’s a negative environment to be in and I learned how to cope with it and I can see the red flags right away.

5. Childhood trauma

Childhood trauma is known to affect the people who have experienced it. It can lead them to have trust issues or have a hard time opening up to people. Trauma can lead to severe social anxiety. Many of my friends or some family members have experienced trauma and I’ve noticed that the only way they cope with it , is by telling someone what they went through and how they overcame it.. I’ve also noticed how the trauma impacts their lifestyle. It can affect them by waking up in the middle of the night because of a dream they had of their traumatic experience, it can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or insomnia

6. Loneliness

Loneliness can really make teens feel isolated especially during how the past year has been. During covid many teens didn’t have any social interaction and also was isolated or quarantined made it so much harder for them to be outside or hang out with friends. When Covid-19 first hit I noticed myself feeling isolated and lonely. I felt really depressed alone in my room with my thoughts. It was a frightening feeling. I didn’t see my friends or family, I didn’t get to have my graduation ceremony, I didn’t experience prom. I was left with this void from all the experiences I missed out. I felt really depressed during that time because I was looking forward to all of it.

7. Discrimination

Many teens who go through discrimination whether its because of their race, ethnicity or sexual orientation they can be discriminated against and it can make them feel less worthy or make them feel like they aren’t good enough. Many of my friends and myself included have experienced discrimination. My friend was at A BLM protest and she was called racial slurs and she told me about how it made her feel. She felt uncomfortable and down because it really just shocked her that she experienced it first hand. I know it affected her because she was really hurt by the experience. Experiencing discriminations first hand can really affect your mental health.