More people struggle with mental health issues than you may think. Undiagnosed people who feel they need some help should be able to obtain it easily.

Society should be working hard to make mental health services easily accessible to ANYONE who needs it.

Many students may be deterred if they feel that no one is there for them.

The Student Mental Health & Wellness Department at JJC has implemented services that promise to aid students on a local and national level.

Not only do they offer therapy sessions with students to talk about whatever they want, but they offer a free newsletter and podcast each month with great information regarding mental health.

At JJC, acknowledging mental health is embraced, for we can all better understand and help each other.

However, mental health wasn’t always talked about as much as it is now.

Many people hid their illnesses or denied they even existed, all thanks to the negative stigmas that have cornered mental health in previous years.

This reluctance to so much as admit to having issues with mental health caused problems for historians down the line. People like to use the excuse “this is all new, people are too sensitive,” even though it is not new. It just has less documentation.

Now, though, a new generation promises a new acceptance for mental health issues.

Young people are vocalizing their emotions more and even turning them into art, like poems or songs.

People are more accepting of one another and the hope is that we can all gain a better understanding of each other by simply existing together, always granting each other mutual respect.

With an open mind, anything is possible. Mental health issues are never going away. What can go away is the stigma that people can “get over things” without a little help.

All employers and teachers should offer employees and students free counseling if they need it. Check-ins with everyone would be ideal, because some are struggling without even knowing it.

There should never be shame in trying therapy or medication. In fact, these things should be applauded each and every day.

Trying these things can be daunting at first, especially for young people, but having support is everything.