Overcome The Stigma

Mental health affects a very large portion of our generation. Many adolescents feel they don’t have a trusting person or source to talk about their issues, instead of reaching out and trying to better themselves, they sit in silence. This pattern substantially contributes to the rise of the teen suicide rate. This problem is part of the reason Mrs. Angela Rhodes started the “I Am the Change” club in January 2020. 

This club is a positive and non-restrictive group that focuses on providing education about mental health and reducing the stigma that surrounds it. Mrs. Rhodes explains “I always thought it was an awesome subject. Especially since the pandemic, mental health is so important for our teens. Just letting them know it’s okay to talk about it.” She first started the club with another social worker when she was approached by the Nye County coalition; they wanted to fulfill a grant they are in charge of, the Child Death Rates Grant. It consists of looking at suicide and drowning rates along with prevention. The club is in collaboration with a national organization called Erika’s Lighthouse. They are dedicated to informing and raising awareness about teen depression, they strive to encourage good mental health as well as break down the disgrace that comes with mental health issues. 

Not only does this club do numerous activities that indubitably comfort, but also makes a difference in someone’s mental health. The members of this club have done a project on positive affirmations. Their goal was to show that saying positive things about yourself can help overcome certain self-esteem issues and to support the idea that self-affirmations can affect the chemistry of the brain if they are done consistently. Another tradition for the group is an annual art gallery. All of the art classes make mental health awareness art and the winner gets their posters printed and put around the school district. Last year they did a youth summit with the coalition where they went to UNLV for four or five days. They stayed in the dorms and had activities going on all day, which focused on leadership and mental health. Mrs. Rhodes’ goal for this year is to have the members attend a mental health summit and if that is not possible she would love to travel with the participating kids. An issue that the club is currently enduring is recruiting. There are about 4 students in the group right now which is a problem because, without the support, some activities and things they would like to do are restricted, and an increase in participation would significantly help the group. 

Two important members that contribute scads to the club were interviewed; Michael Keyes and Olive Ames. Keyes has been in the club for two years and Ames has been a member for about a year. They both wanted to become a member of this club for sort of the same reasons. They both wanted to be an advocate for mental health, teach people about it, and destigmatize mental health. When Keyes asked what he loved about the club he responded with “painting rocks and making stress balls, I like that aspect of it.” Ames then joined in and said “I agree. Learning coping mechanisms and discovering resources and helping to reduce the stigma is important to me.” Keyes explains that trying to help someone improve their mental health is a hard process but in order to “…destigmatize mental health you have to do that through yourself first, but it’s hard sometimes. You have to do that for yourself before you can do it for others.” Ames continues to state that “Some people might be hesitant about joining because they feel they don’t have a safe place, but I really think this club can help anyone.”

The advisor of the club Mrs. Rhodes stated “I have developed a bond with the members. The club, while it’s not supposed to provide any sort of therapy, is a safe space for students to talk about mental health and coping mechanisms.” Bonding and having healthy relationships is an extremely crucial part in someone’s life in order to maintain a healthy mental balance.

Keyes believes there are “no negatives of joining the club; it could be beneficial to anyone. If they want to join I recommend doing it. Whether you or someone close to you is struggling, or you simply want to learn more.” Ames states that “it’s going to help more than hurt to join.” Their kind words and affection towards this club and all the things it has benefited are truly amazing and show how much the club has changed things for them. 

The meeting times are every Wednesday from 2:30 to 3:30 in room 14. If this club is something you’re interested in, please reach out to Mrs. Rhodes at the email [email protected].