Mental Health Colorado, a Denver-based advocacy group focusing on mental health and substance abuse, released “Back-to-School” health tips last Tuesday.
The organization wrote in a press release that it wants to call attention to the “importance of supporting students amidst a set of conditions … that impact their health and well-being.”
The group’s parent organization, Mental Health America, recently released its 2024 State of Mental Health Report which placed Colorado at 44th in the nation for youth mental health, citing that it found 23% of Colorado youth have experienced “at least one major depressive episode.” In addition to this statistic, the report found that 14% of Colorado youth expressed suicidal ideation and over 11% struggled with some form of substance use disorder, both of which are higher than the national average.
In response to this report, Mental Health Colorado released a guide and series of tips for Colorado students to help them manage their mental health during this academic year.
These include:
- Getting outside: Taking time to be in nature outside of school
- Staying mindful: Taking moments to center yourself and becoming present before heading to school and whenever you feel challenged
- Getting a healthy amount of sleep: Practicing good sleep hygiene and creating a solid bedtime routine to help you unwind from the stress of the day
- Staying connected: To friends, family, classmates, and adults who can help support you.
Vincent Atchity, the president of Mental Health Colorado said in the press release: “As Colorado students face challenges at school, they need to know how to find the supports and resources that are available to help them care for their overall well-being … Parents, teachers, peers, and community leaders … need to encourage students to prioritize their health alongside their academic work and extracurriculars.”
