Mental Health
Mental health is a crucial priority in youth prevention because early mental health challenges can significantly impact a young person’s development, academic success, relationships, and overall quality of life. Adolescence is a period of intense growth and change, where young people may experience stress from school, social dynamics, and identity formation. Without adequate support, these stressors can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, which, if untreated, may continue into adulthood.
Prioritizing mental health in youth prevention helps create an environment where young people can recognize, understand, and address their emotions, learn coping skills, and build resilience. Early mental health prevention can reduce the risk of self-harm, substance use, and academic or social withdrawal. By fostering mental wellness, we empower youth to make positive choices, seek help when needed, and develop a foundation for lifelong mental health stability.
As a society, we have slowly been more accepting of those with diagnoses of mental health issues. Apart from simply treating or diagnosing when something goes wrong, Step Up Naugy aims to promote mental wellness for all.
By building positive coping skills into the daily lives of young people, resilience can help guide someone through the tougher times in life.
In our 2022 Youth Survey, 25% of 7th-12th grade students in Naugatuck reported having felt sad or depressed most or all of the time in the last month. Additionally, 18% reported having attempted suicide at least once in their life. Youth in a gender or sexuality minority are at almost double the risk of feeling sad or having attempted suicide.
When we incorporate things such as trusted adult mentors, positive coping skills, and building an individual's network of support, we are ensuring all young people have the ability to grow into healthy adults and can sustain themselves during times of hardship.
“In simple words, tell a professional if you feel someone has a legitimate problem that you cannot help them with. It’s not your responsibility, nor is it beneficial to either party, to be someone’s doctor or therapist in serious situations. There are more downsides to not sharing than there are to sharing. Don’t live with regret. Giving blind advice isn’t helpful. First and foremost, be a listener. Set aside what you’re doing and really place yourself in the other person’s shoes. It’s great to offer words of encouragement and personal support that come in the form of advice and conversation but don’t forget to listen too. See how you can help at Naugatuck High and think about being a peer support.”
- Naugatuck High School Graduate, Luke Deitelbaum