n my culture, mental health is stigmatized. Whenever I am sad, my parents usually tell me to "get over" my feelings. They never consoled me through verbal or physcial affection. I often question my own culture, why our parents neglect children's feelings. Our feelings matter. Most of the times, all we need is a hug and a word of support for hope .

People suffer from severe depression all over the world, and it can be especially difficult for teenagers these days. Depression in teenagers can be caused by a variety of factors such as social media, school, friends, bullying, family problems, and other social factors. I wanted to express my thoughts on this subject because I am constantly surrounded by people who have depression. It could be feelings of inadequacy or guilt, for example. Fixation on failures in the past, as well as excessive self-blame or self-criticism Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, as well as an overabundance of need for reassurance. Having difficulty thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things. I wanted to create a poster to show others who are either young or in denial about the concept of depression. It is a significant factor in today's society, and everyone should be aware of it. I felt very sorry for those who had to suffer from this disorder because people don't choose to have it; it happens to the best of us, and it's difficult to fight. It can sometimes kill a person and make them mentally ill. I've never experienced this before, but I know people in my life who have, and it can affect you because you feel and it changes your mood. It's like negative energy in the room and you're feeding on it.

People suffering from depression may appear normal or even happy around others. A large number of them hide away their pain in solitude. They may not understand the situation they are dealing with is depression, or they may construct a physical facade to disguise how they feel inside. It is also due to fear of how others receive them when they are aware of a person's suffering, especially with a lack of understanding and empathy among parents and peers.

Whenever I am going through some personal issues, I always talk to my friends. While my family doesn’t understand what I am going through, the right friends are able to listen without judging whatever I am feeling. It is the mutual respect that I value the most with my good friends, and I know that I will gladly offer my shoulder and listen to their struggles when they approach me.

Having new experiences is beneficial for improving brain function and boosting your mental health. Travel has been linked to stress reduction and can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It has been very hard on my mental not being able to travel during COVID. I have always been the explorative type who loves to try new restaurants, go to live music events, and see my friends and family...these are all things that bring me joy. It had gotten to the point that when things restrictions began loosening, I didn't even want to see my friends and family because I was so used to the isolation. Social interactions that seemed normal before became so awkward and forced, and I found myself avoiding them. Over the past 2 years, I have been traveling solo and it has done wonders for my mental health. Reflecting back on my mental state before my trip and after my trip...the difference is immense. I was an anxious and depressed mess before my trip. Had it not been the past eight months I would have never gotten out of my unhealthy hole. I know the past two years have been hard on everyone, but I don't think anyone thought it drag so long. The effects of isolation on people's mental health definitely have been very damaging to people.

Music is a medium of communication. I love venting my emotions by playing the piano. The songs I play match my mood, and it is through what I feel that I express them in music. I also love that I am in complete control. I can add my own interpretations and emotions to make it my own.

Many people skip breakfast. But I don’t. As someone who is a chronic procrastinator and always guilty of wasting time, it takes effort, time, and thought to make a nutritious, delicious breakfast first thing in the morning, especially if you vary your breakfast every day. After the meal, I would feel accomplished, a good start because it makes the rest of my day more productive. Even if I do procrastinate later, there is less guilt because I know I did do something that day.

My mom used to comb my hair with her fingers absentmindedly. It stimulates my scalp and acts like a massage. Now that I am older, I get a lot of headaches, but brushing my hair with a soft comb relieves some of the stressed muscles that are causing my migraines.

I don't agree with the idea that a messy thought process prevents great ideas from being generated. A messy thought process is crucial to problem-solving. It means that there are a lot of different ideas. The only issue is that these ideas are not organized coherently. In fact, it is often encouraged that there are no bad ideas in the brainstorming process. The variety of different starting points is what makes it confusing, but once the ideas are laid out in a digestible way, we can keep the better ones and eliminate the rest.

I started hiking at the end of 2020. I always felt better after a little hike around local areas, so I started taking bigger hikes. 500 miles across 10 places is not too much yet, but I'm working on it. Hiking is a relatively quiet activity. It gives me some alone time to reflect on my decisions. Plus, the scenery is always a bonus. I always end up snapping so many pictures of the view on my phone.

The pool brings peace to me. I love hearing the water flow past me as I am swimming and feeling myself glide across the coolness. I’ve been going through some personal issues, but once I get to the pool I’m instantly better. It makes such a huge difference in my mood compared to other exercises. I have noticed my sleep, focus, and energy levels are all improving. I trust my body more, and my confidence is returning. I am excited to go to the pool, but I’m still not in good enough shape to swim every day. So I take 1-2 rest days to let my arms recover. I can’t wait until I build up momentum to swim daily, it brings immense relief. It’s helping so much with my mental health and recovery.

I was born in a household where we brewed a lot of tea. Green, black, lemon, ginger, peppermint… you name it, we brewed it. Since I moved out, I always start my day with a fresh cup of tea my parents sent me. It pumps me up for the rest of the day. When I am upset or anxious, tea reminds me of home, of the sweet memories of childhood. It becomes my friend to cheer me up as someone living alone.

Quarantine had made me feel isolated. Having nothing to do, I decided to dust off my bike. I never learned how to ride a bike. My dad tried teaching me, but I was just horrible at balancing. I didn’t give up, and after 100s of falls and endless scraped skins, I finally biked along a straight line without falling. The sense of accomplishment after biking for the first time gave me a liberating sensation. My heart was pumping. I was sweating. but it felt good. Now, I bike 2-3 times a week, around my quiet but spacious neighborhood. I noticed that my physical health has also improved, so I am currently practicing longer distances. Sometimes I bike beyond my area, discovering the world around me, the views, and everything. It really soothes my mind.

There’s extensive research on how origami helps to boost creativity, reduce stress, and improve mental health. I started origami at a very young age, and my favorite thing to do is to fold cranes. To me, cranes are hopeful and can boost my emotional support whenever I am lost. Moreover, it is quick and easy once you get the hang of it. Watching my collection grow brings me joy.

The state of my mental health and the state of my house seems to be a pretty good reflection of each other. When my anxiety is really bad, my house gets meticulously clean and I end up doing some pretty extreme and often over-the-top decluttering. I have to be really careful because it really toes the line between cleaning to take my mind off things and obsessive behavior. When I'm dealing with depression, my house is a wreck, which just makes me more depressed, and further kills any motivation I have to deal with it. When both are bad, I end up with a wrecked house, but random hidden spots throughout the house are meticulously clean, like sock drawers arranged by style and color and a nice, tidy junk drawer all organized, with everything inside thoroughly cleaned. That time would obviously be better spent tackling laundry mountain or sweeping and mopping floors, but the depression mess slowly builds up and then it gets overwhelming so I think "I'll just do something small to get started". Then there's no rhyme or reason to what I'm actually cleaning. When my mental health is pretty decent, my house is what I consider close-family/close-friend ready. I wouldn't feel horrified by the state of my house if they dropped by unannounced, but I might sweep the floors, grab the random dirty laundry and toss it in a basket/in the washer, and wipe down counters.

This little guy is my pride and joy. Even catching sight of them lazing on the other side of the room when I'm tired makes me feel better. I like knowing that even when everything else feels terrible, I can still care for another living being. They're also affectionate and responsive to my moods.

I don’t have the best relationship with my parents, but our dinner table is a place where my parents and I get to have a civil conversation without arguments. We discuss everything, from the news, the day, and the plans. It is a place to forget about hard emotions and to connect with each other using logical information, over a delicious meal.

Cuddling with my dog is my favorite moment. He would sporadically, at random times, seek me out for cuddles. I would respond by petting, then telling him I love him before smothering him in a big hug. He gets so happy, wagging his tail and sniffing in my hug. It’s fantastic and always brings me a smile.