You know you live in a generation of confusion and sadness when there as many teenagers going to therapists, as those that prefer Instagram as their preferred social media platform.

The unfortunate truth is that 1 out of 5 teens experience some kind of mental illness during their time developing as young adults. The most alarming fact of all is that suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young adults ages 10 through 24. This poses a very significant threat to our youth, as many of them could be suffering from undiagnosed mental illnesses.

Before, I was shocked, but now I am not entirely surprised to witness my peers going on very similar paths. In a society where we are constantly comparing ourselves to others, the pressure and high standards set for us cause a lot of anxiety and depression. It has been a serious eye opener to see that the intensity of these complex feelings is driving these young teens to seek professional help. We live in an era where everything is at our fingertips- literally.

Being a teenager in today’s world presents the most paradoxical situation I’ve ever witnessed: teens who have so much of everything: opportunities, technology, and connections to the rest of the world also have the least self-esteem. With all the things presented to us, one would think that we would be happy with all the technology making life easier, but rather it is making life more complicated in many aspects.

It was about two years ago when several close friends of mine revealed that they had been going to a therapist for issues related to anxiety and other mental health reasons. I noticed that some of them appeared embarrassed or ashamed, but I was comforted by the fact that they had enough courage to go seek out the help they thought they needed.

The most important aspect I realized was that there should be no shame or stigmas when it comes to mental health. We need to take charge of our bodies and take care of our brains. These two things cannot be comprised for shame or guilt- they are irreplaceable. Choose to take control of your life and of your emotions, and seek out the help if you feel you need it. The first step would be to talk to your doctor or pediatrician and see if they can refer you to a mental health specialist.

I wanted to end this piece by offering the idea that a mental illness will never define who you are. You are made up of all of the situations and choices in your life, not one feature.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255