Local teens speak up about mental health

Students from Rhinelander High School and Lakeland Union High School recently traveled to Madison to meet with elected officials. As members of Raise Your Voice clubs, students were invited by the Wisconsin chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) to discuss concerns related to youth mental health, according to a press release issued by community youth development educator Sharon Krause, who serves as an advisor to the two Raise Your Voice clubs.

“Many of the club members have experience with attempting to find resources that address mental health issues, whether for themselves, family members, or friends,” the release states. “Residents of rural areas like the Northwoods often must wait months before seeing a mental health professional. One student told the representatives that there was a 9-month break between asking for help and seeing someone, and during that time, the condition worsened to the point of suicidal thoughts. Medication aided a return towards normalcy, but the delay caused unnecessary suffering and lengthened the road to recovery. The youth delegation pressed representatives on one item that would help thousands of families: Funding for more mental health representatives in schools. This would provide easy access for children, eliminate the need for parents to leave work for appointments, and greatly reduce the chances of delayed treatment.”

Krause, an educator with UW-Madison in Oneida County’s Extension office, compared the situation to physical ailments. 

“If someone breaks a bone, it’s best to set it right away,” she said. “Otherwise, it will heal in the wrong position and fixing it will be much more difficult.”

Members of Rhinelander High School’s Raise Your Voice Club listen as other youth discuss mental health issues with staff from the offices of Sen. Mary Felzkowski and Rep. Rob Swearingen.
(Submitted photograph)

Krause noted that research from the Department of Public Instruction shows many area youth are struggling with mental health issues. 

In 2021, Oneida County high school students who took the Youth Risk Behavior survey self-reported the following: half (51%) said they dealt with high levels of anxiety; 32% indicated they felt seriously depressed; 21% had resorted to self-harm; 16% had suicidal thoughts, and 13% had a plan for completing suicide. Middle school students reported remarkably similar numbers. In fact, most of their numbers were slightly higher than their high school counterparts. Research shows that the younger someone is when mental health problems arise, the more likely they will have serious issues as they age. Many adults who seek professional help started experiencing problems between the ages of 13 -16 years old.

Raise Your Voice Club members from Lakeland Union High School and Rhinelander High School are working towards educating their peers about mental health, the release states. They are helping to raise awareness of local resources, sharing tips for building resiliency, and advocating for adults to do more for youth.

For information, contact Krause at [email protected] or go to namiwisconsin.org.