Prevalence of Anxiety at HHS

By Isla Salgado

From impending exams to group interactions, anxiety is a human experience that tends to be dismissed. Anxiety fuels many habits and behaviors such as procrastination, isolation and depression. According to the World Health Organization, “anxiety, depression and behavior disorders are the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.” Statistics show that 14.3% of adolescents of ages 10-19 experience mental health problems of different kinds. In addition, with cuts to school budgets, social and emotional counseling may be endangered, clipping out support for many students that may be coping with anxiety disorders. With the many faces of anxiety and other external factors, how are students handling these weighing emotions?

Senior Saleen Mendez states, “I do feel that anxiety is quite common in HHS. It’s something all students go through at some point. I don’t see it but I do hear it when I overhear students talk about how stressed they are about a test, an assignment, or after school responsibilities.

“For me, it mostly appears when I have to take an exam I don’t know much of the material for. I counter it mostly by studying. It makes me feel better to feel at least somewhat prepared. I also like to keep myself busy. I have a lot of hobbies I enjoy doing like reading and writing and they help keep my mind off things.”

As one senior that preferred to be kept anonymous states: “…Not just HHS, but because of our generation right now, we are dealing with a lot [e.g] with the upcoming war[…]So, a lot of people still have not gotten over the issues of COVID as well as the rise of hatred toward one another. So, a lot of anxiety, depression is rising[…]As kids, we seek social interactions but because of staying away for long [in quarantine] we do not know how to interact with one another.

“Mainly for me, I am always focusing on school so I stress about school. Also, other outcomes/ factors that affect me such as the ICE protest and the incline of unemployment […] I’m going to college and that will cost a lot of money so I need a job but there’s a lot of people not hiring. Going out so that I can avoid thinking about it, even though it’s probably not healthy. When I’m out I walk[…] I’m doing something else so that I can take my mind off of it, such as doing hobbies or being with friends.” 

Although these were just a few responses, these accounts spotlight our school’s epidemic of this conflict: Sophomore Mel Desrosier states, “…I hear a lot of people are worried about classwork and that can cause anxiety..[people] show stress through] body language, expressions. You can see that [students] are worried or [show] strain on their face. When I am feeling anxiety, I’ll be less motivated so I won’t do anything. I just sit there and do nothing.”

While it may appear as though finding coping strategies is much like putting a bandaid on a bleeding wound, spending time away from our thoughts can break the monotony of stress.