"HIGHSCHOOL DOESN'T MATTER!" 3

From such a young age, I thought that mental illness (or what I liked to call to call craziness) only occurred in adults. I also thought that teenagers who get involved in drug addiction or get into depression were just being dramatic or were just seeking attention for selfish reasons. This was because I was raised to think that way, but once i turned 13, my experiences told a different story.

The world is still getting used to the fact that kids in our generation may suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD (if they have been in compromising situations), and all the sorts. Its hard for them to believe that we suffer from these as we live an easier life than they did. But they expect us to do so much better than them, or to navigate life easier than they could and that puts too much pressure on us as kids. Even though some people in the world are starting to see this happening on a large scale a larger portion still thinks its some kind of superstition.

My own country doesn't even take Mental health in general seriously (there isn't even a clinical psychologist at our town hospital). So many people in Zimbabwe, especially older generations could have suffered or are still suffering from PTSD from racism, police brutality and of course, the war between the Rhodesians and the freedom fighters. The worst part is they may not even know it, so you can imagine what it was like being a teenager then and not talking about it and going back to school and saying "Schools great, I guess," as if nothing happened.

This generation of adolescence contemplates on committing suicide, I heard that a girl committed suicide because there wasn't enough emotional support at home when covid-19 started. Things are looking down for us and that not what should be happening.

We cannot keep putting youth in danger like this. Negligence leads to the root of all suffering in this world and its time for a change, PERIOD.