Clinical depression is a growing epidemic among teens across the nation and suicide is becoming a more and more common cause of death.
Despite this, the topic is still taboo– one no one wants to discuss. Although these things are ever-present in our daily lives, we do our best to avoid them. It seems we’ve done more to take away from student resources then to add.
As of last year, the Challenge Day Club has been removed from the school’s extensive list of clubs for the 2013-2014 school year. Also, whether or not we will even have a Challenge Day is being questioned.
We’ve eliminated our Sanctuary Room, cut social workers and the guidance department is more of a labyrinth of appointment making. Students need a place to turn for help.
After the many tragedies Neshaminy suffered from last year, it would make more sense that we add resources for the students, rather than take them away.
Immediately following the hardships, the school did bring in grief counselors, but left briefly after. The grief doesn’t go away in a week and the struggles the students are facing won’t ever come at convenient times for the school.
We should have a constant support system for our students, to deal with problems before they become tragedies.
Often times those suffering from depression, suicidal thoughts or tendencies want to talk about how they’re feeling and be reassured that they aren’t alone.
According to an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention national survey, suicide is the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10 to 24. With numbers like these, it’s imperative we educate ourselves on the topic.
We need to put more emphasis on suicide prevention, the warning signs of suicide — the threats that may even seem to be joking, but really aren’t, the strange goodbyes, the premature “will”, the friend giving away all their personal belongings, the sudden changes in personality– we also need to know that these don’t always happen.
Clinical depression is a mental disorder and it’s very important to understand that. The condition is much more than sadness– it can even be caused by physical issues like a chemical imbalance. Handling this very important situation is a necessary skill.
In part to help with these issues, Neshaminy holds Challenge Day annually. Challenge Day is a movement implemented in many schools nationwide.
The Challenge Day mission is to provide students with experiential programs that are meant to demonstrate love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and expression without fear. Not everyone can participate in Challenge Day. Students must be recommended to participate in it by their teachers or guidance counselors.
Kate Livingstone was the adviser of the Challenge Day Club, a co-curricular club similar to a support group. The Club was a way to reach out to the students that have participated in Challenge Day, but also students who didn’t get the opportunity to. It’s goal was to create a safe haven for students and allow them to express themselves easier. Due to the fact that we had “too many clubs,” it was cut from Neshaminy.
On the guidance department’s web page you can find crisis information. The page gives the numbers to multiple crisis centers and the national suicide hotline.
The question lies as, is the district doing enough to support students in crisis? The editorial board feels that it would benefit the student body if the Challenge Day Club was brought back and if the school did more to speak about these issues and reach out to its students. It is imperative that every student understands that having these depressed feelings doesn’t make them crazy or abnormal. It is essential that the district makes this school a safe place for everyone and that each student is comfortable speaking up.
This isn’t something that needs to be spoken of in hushed tones or carried around shamefully. We need to talk and we need to be proactive. Depression and suicide are some of the most real things we are facing today.
Budget cuts seem to be the main blame for cuts. Finances shouldn’t outweigh the importance of our student’s mental health. Neshaminy should be doing everything in their power to provide the students with consistent programs and places to go to combat the issues they are facing.
The biggest thing that Neshaminy students should know is that despite our differences, despite anything at all, we are in this together – and there is not a single person in the school that should feel that they are all alone. Without crisis prevention and intervention programs, students are left in the dark. The district must reinstate such programs for the betterment of the student body. What is the cost of a life in comparison to implementing a safe haven?

Look At It Our Way is the unsigned editorial, which represents the unanimous view of the Editorial Board.