People struggling with mental health are everywhere you look. It may be your family member, may be your closest friend, neighbor — or it may be you.

Nearly one sixth of United States children ages 6-17 struggle with a mental health disorder each year according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Recent data shows roughly 6,400 children ages 10-24 in the United States are dying from suicide annually. You may
not know the seriousness of mental health and push away the feelings you have, wondering why you feel different or out of the ordinary. Speaking up and out about how you feel to someone is always the first and hardest step, yet the most weight-lifting act you can do for yourself.

While women are diagnosed with mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety at higher rates than men, the suicide rate is more than twice as high among men as than women according to the Mental Health Foundation, and have higher rates of substance use disorders and antisocial behaviors. Men might find it harder for themselves to speak out about mental health issues due to societal expectations of
toughness. Because of this, it is important to make everyone around you feel comfortable and safe enough to feel they can speak about anything to you, a guardian, counselor, therapist or any trusted adult.

What exactly is mental illness, you may be thinking. “Mental illness is a physical illness in the human brain that lacks thinking, behavior, energy or emotion that can make it difficult with day to day things,” according to the National Institutes of Health. These diseases can be caused by various factors, from genetics to brain structure or even trauma.

What can you do to help? To help improve your mental health you can focus on speaking out to people when you need help, doing things you truly enjoy or reaching out of your comfort zone and trying something new. Having a good physical health lifestyle can help tremendously.

There’s always an answer to help your mental health, and you’re never alone.