Mental Health Awareness Month

by Taliha, 10th grade

Can you believe it, we are five months through 2025 already! This year was filled with ups and downs, but one thing we can look forward to every year is Mental Health Awareness Month. From May 1-31, the United States of America celebrates and raises awareness for this important cause. This month-long tradition was started by Mental Health America in 1949 and has since spread throughout the country, inspiring others to partake.

This month is so important to those involved in the mental health community, whether as an advocate or a supporter, because it truly allows others to see the impact that mental health has.
It also allows people to reduce the stigma around mental health issues and educate those who are unaware of mental illnesses. Mental health is equally as important as physical health, and they should both be treated with the same value.

In Orange County, there are so many ways to get involved with mental health advocacy, especially during May. Every year, the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) in Orange County hosts a mental health awareness community fair, called “NAMI Orange County’s Fun in the Sun Festival,” which allows visitors to meet vendors and organizations and educate themselves on resources related to mental health.

There is also another mental health awareness community fair, hosted by OC Animal Care, and this is another fair that offers a chance to meet with organizations and learn about mental health resources directly in Orange County. It is a great way to get involved, and they also offer games, raffles, music and a full day of fun!
For high school students, Troy High School and Fullerton Joint Union High School are both hosting mental health fairs, and this offers a chance for students and faculty to explore different ways to manage stress and to relax a bit before finals.

This is only open to students who attend these schools, though, but it is a great opportunity to break the stigma around mental health for the next generation.

These are just a few events happening in our area, but there are many more happening throughout the month. Anyone can get involved and participate in Mental Health Awareness Month!

Whether it is supporting friends and family, or educating yourself on the importance of mental health, these are just a few ways to get into the mental health spirit.

I hope everyone has a great Mental Health Awareness Month this year and, hopefully, you can take full advantage of these resources!

The Importance of Alone Time

by Alicia, 9th grade

Sometimes it may feel like one can never escape the endless activities and interactions. School, work, social life and family often drive away one’s second vote regarding the importance of time alone.

Yet, alone time is crucial for growth, mental health and one’s general state of well-being. Understanding alone time and learning to embrace it will result in a more balanced and meaningful life.

There are many mental and physical benefits to alone time. The first on the list is an opportunity to recharge. Social activities and interactions with other people usually wear you down. At the same time, mere time by yourself recharges and restores your energies. Alone time can be much better for focus and productivity because the chances of any distractions are greatly lowered, thus fostering better task concentration, be it on studying, reading, or pursuing some personal project.

Separating oneself should also be regarded as a period for mental reflection. Alone time allows a person to contemplate their thoughts and emotions so that they can get a sense of what they want or fear and what their goals are.

This self-reflection is tremendously important, facilitating informed decision-making and living authentically by your values. It takes away so much stress since, without any outside demands, people can feel free, relax and have good times, and so relieve any pressure that has been building over time. Self-reflection thus becomes a powerful tool for personal growth. It allows you to gain in-depth knowledge and understand yourself and your needs. You can focus on your thoughts, ideas and aspirations without too much unwarranted input from others.

It is in this way that one can become more independent through alone time. By learning to enjoy your own company, you build a strong sense of self that does not rely on external validation. Such a self positively impacts relationships with others, for issues such as seeking approval and a constant need for reassurance fade away. Instead, one becomes self-comfortable, and in the end, experiences deep and rich connections with others.

Your precious time spent alone does wonders, but make sure you do it wisely. Don’t waste time frivolously on distractions while you’re by yourself; instead, put that time to good use relaxing and growing. Spending time reading, practicing, journaling, walking and meditating are all supercharging and nourishing activities for both mind and soul while on your own.

Equally important is finding a balance. While alone time is necessary, too much time spent alone can potentially lead to loneliness. The solution is to discover the time that best suits you to recharge and maintain healthy relationships with others.

Alone time is vital to maintaining balance and healthiness, especially in this world where busyness perpetrates the belief of being worthy. It grants introspection, rest and self-nourishment. In learning the practice of alone time, one builds a stronger relationship with oneself, releases stress and ultimately creates a fuller life.

National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day

by Mateo, 11th grade

The month of May brings both immense joy and intolerable stress to teens and parents alike; while it marks the last full month before the summer season, the numerous grueling class finals and national exams make the end of the school year exhausting.

As students prepare to endure their tests and finish the year strong, and as parents prepare to endure their children all day and night for the next two and a half months, it is more important than ever to check up on and take care of your mental health.

National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day, recognized annually on May 12, gives us the opportunity to show our gratitude towards those who keep us mindful of our well-being and give us the necessary guidance to stay afloat during a stressful time of year.

National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day began in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that threw the entire world into a period of stress, anxiety and hardship. Author, therapist and mentor Anne C. Totero was one of many who were negatively impacted by this unforeseen event, and she sought out ways to support her community in this time of need; in her own words, “I felt I myself was in a fog yet had to navigate quickly how to support first responders, families, teenagers, my family and myself. I had to grieve with people and also felt a need to be strong for others in a time of adversity.”

After a good amount of thinking, Totero realized that mental health providers such as herself did great work keeping people mentally and emotionally strong during the demanding times of the pandemic, and yet their efforts often went unnoticed by the public. With that in mind, she decided to raise funds to recognize and honor the “peer support specialists, administrative staff, practitioners, caregivers and more” who work tirelessly to “help the world be a bit of a better place every day.”

The best way you can celebrate and honor National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day is by taking some time to recognize the people in your life who have provided you with mental and emotional support. From therapists to school counselors to your parents, there is a wide variety of people in the community who offer great advice and guidance when it comes to managing your mental health.

Then, give them the acknowledgement and gratitude they deserve. Although they are typically the ones helping you, mental health providers are humans just like you, and it can be difficult to discern what they have to deal with in their own lives. Even a small gesture of gratitude and appreciation will let them know that their influence makes a difference in the lives of those around them.