It's no secret that being a student has always been stressful. But local high schoolers say it's only gotten worse in recent years, especially during COVID.
"On a mental health level, I definitely saw, in my friends specifically and those in my community, that anxiety, stress, depression -- those things were definitely on the rise," said Adria Weaver, a high schooler in Howard County.
Alyson Abel, another high school student in Howard County, agreed.
"I feel like we have the pressure to work, have a job, do extracurriculars, do schoolwork, and it's hard for people who are not in our shoes to imagine what that's like," Abel said.
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And they're not alone.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a study on Wednesday that examined mental health emergencies in young people.
The study found that emergency room visits have increased over the last decade, and hospitals can't keep up.
Doctors are now urgently warning parents to pay attention to their kids, with emergency rooms overwhelmed with young people in mental health crisis.
Solutions include more mental health research funding, telehealth services, mobile crisis teams, and better follow-up after ER visits.
"This is not new, but it is worsening, and everybody better pay attention," said Dr. Patricia Kapunan, chief medical officer for Montgomery County Public Schools.
MCPS's research shows girls are especially impacted by mental health issues. It's why the school system is planning a girls' summit in October, to talk about things like body image and managing stress.
"Just trying to wrap our minds around all the different spaces where we can provide better support for girls even as we're trying to understand what is explaining this impact," Kapunan said.
As for what those local students are doing, Abel serves in student government, connecting peers to resources and making their voices heard.
Weaver started a mentorship program called Beauty and Me, teaching young girls about self-love.
"I definitely saw how social media and insecurities can already affect them at that young age," Weaver said. "I'm definitely passionate about it, because I wish I had resources like that when I was younger."
Young people, for all the struggles they face, are finding ways to cope with stress, and paying it forward for future generations.
You can find more resources for yourself, or someone you love who may be struggling, if you click here.
