NOCTILUCA February 2017

Mr. Eastman By Ahmad Abdel-Azim

As a psychology teacher and advisor of Psych Club at Ap- pleton North, Mr. Eastman has beneficial insight on mental wellness. When most ponder about mental wellness, they think of mental illness, anxiety, and depression. However, Mr. Eric Eastman says that mental wellness regards the posi- tive components in a person, like high self-esteem and an overall optimistic view on life. Good mental wellness begins with three things: a good night’s sleep, regular ex-

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ercise, and healthy eating. Nevertheless, how does one really know if they have mental wellness issues? There are plenty of signs for substandard mental wellness, such as not thinking rationally, feeling “down in the dumps”, having a hard time sleeping, suddenly having a difficult time getting up in the morning, and starting to dislike things that used to bring about joy. If one believes they may be experiencing some of these symptoms, there are many things to do to receive help. Essentially, one should seek the closest people in their life to sup-

port them. Appleton North also offers great support system for students. Students can always go talk to and share their issues with our two counselors, Mrs. Strick and Mrs. Davis or simply any teacher who they trust. As Mr. Eastman said, “It (mental wellness) is not something you want to mess around with.” Ultimately, he wants all students who struggle with mental wellness issues to know, “that it does get better.” Mr. Eastman suffered from OCD, depression, and anxiety issues in middle school and is proof that one can go back to feeling normal again.

Mrs. Strick By Sarah Fleming

Being a friend is very tough. Being a friend of someone with a mental illness is even tougher said school social worker Mrs. Debbie Strick. She stresses the importance of listen- ing to someone with a mental illness. She says you should never give up on them,

and you should never ignore them because of their condition. Your friend might become very solitary, and they might refuse your invita- tions to hang out; even if they never accept your invitations, don’t stop inviting them. It will make them feel left out, Strick says. Strick also mentioned that your friend with a mental illness could be more irritable, so try not to get distressed if they upset you. If you fear your friend is going to hurt themselves, never ever ignore the situation. Instead, there are multiple ways to help your friend. If you can, make

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sure you tell an adult about your concerns. Whether it is your counselor or a parent, a trusted adult will at least have an understanding of what to do next. If you fear your friend is in immediate danger, you can call the police, who will send a specially trained officer to your friend’s location, you can call a crisis hotline at 1-800-273-8255, or text HELLO to the number:741741 at any time. The Fox Cities community, as well as Appleton North, has many different resources for people who have a mental illness. This includes some support groups that are run through the counseling office, and a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) support group that is held at the Boys & Girls Club. “Teens feel like this is it and it can’t get better,” said Strick. It’s important that you realize that you aren’t the only one struggling with a mental illness. Don’t struggle alone.

Allison Hammond By Sonia Tallroth

Depression, called major depres- sion or clinical depression, is a mood disorder which causes the person effected to be in a consistently low mood. It can also cause a loss of interest in usually enjoyable activities and an increase in low self-esteem. As of right now, we don’t know

the exact cause of depression, but we do know that life events and having other family members with depression increases the chances of getting it. This mental illness is one of the most com- mon in the United States, and according to National Institute of Mental Health, 12.5 percent of adolescents ages 12-17 have de- pression. In talking to Allison Hammond, who was diagnosed in 6th grade, I learned more about how it can affect people’s lives.

“It’s affected me since about 4th grade. It’s made focusing on school extremely difficult.” In asking about how she copes with it, she said that she really doesn’t. “I guess I just try distracting myself with dark humor.” However, depression doesn’t just affect a person’s mood, it also makes socializing a very draining task, according to Allison Hammond. “It has also made socializing an absolute chore. Who can worry about keeping friends happy when you can’t stay happy yourself?” With any mental illness, there are stereotypes and misconceptions, and when asking her what she wished people knew about it, she responded with, “[For people with depression], social- izing is honestly so exhausting, and being depressed is so much more than just being sad.”

Warning Signs

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