Take a deep breath in and out; the community and Delta High School have many resources to help with negative emotions. According to an experiment conducted by Colorado Public Radio Newsroom, a third of Colorado middle and high school students reported feeling hopeless and sad out of 50,000 students surveyed. (1)
Based on these statistics, schools are starting to prioritize mental health. Every year, DHS gives the option to students to take a survey to show where they are academically and emotionally. DHS strives to be a school of excellence and a safe place for struggling students. DHS has various resources to aid mental or physical health.
Holly Brooks, a behavioral counselor here at DHS, main advice for a struggling student is to remember that thoughts and emotions are manageable; they aren’t forever. ¨They are like a wave that comes and goes. Ride the wave, do not let the wave ride you into the ground,¨ said Brooks.
¨There’s places down in the counseling room that´s like behind that big black shield now that if you just want a quiet place to go and hang out, there´s quiet places to go to,¨ said Gwendolyn Wheeler Russell. As well as having staff ready to help students when needed, they also provide safe spaces for students to take a break and destress. This alternative is great because it doesn’t require one-on-one conversation for students who need to collect their thoughts.
Did you ever wonder why people say to breathe when you are feeling anxious? Well, according to Better Health, it can slow down your heart rate, reduce stress levels, and increase feelings of tranquility. The brain thinks every stressor is life-threatening, so fight or flight choices rapidly erupt.
But breathing isn’t the only thing you can do; depending on your emotions, the coping mechanisms vary. ¨For example, while deep breathing would be recommended for anxiety, I might suggest to someone with depression that they do something they usually find enjoyable even if they don’t feel like doing it.¨ said Brooks. She expands her thoughts by saying coping mechanisms differ for each person based on commitment and are tailored based on the person’s needs and life experiences.
On a similar note, if you navigate to Delta High School’s website and hover over Student Life, there is a little section that says Useful Link. Once you click that, you should see a few links/resources. One of them is a Safe2Tell® link, an anonymous report system when a student feels something threatening is going to happen or something has happened.
DHS has many available resources and the community has plenty more! Delta health offices are hiring more mental health workers! If you feel like that’s the right step for you, come down to the counselor’s offices, they can set you up.
If you or someone you know is facing more extreme thoughts like suicide, you can always call 988, the suicide and crisis hotline. The lifeline is free and always available to help those in need. It also has the option for the call to be in Spanish if that is your dominant language.
