One of my old teachers is friends with my parents because she taught both me and my little brother.
She's been to our house so many times and I've honestly have gotten so uncomfortable around her.
Here's why.
She came over one night for dinner and we were just having normal conversations at the table, I didn't talk much.
I had been in and out of the doctors office and had missed some school.
Of course, this woman asks why.
I didn't want to tell her so my parents did for me. They told her about how I was having some troubles with anxiety.
She turned to me and said:
"You don't know what anxiety is, you're too young."
and she laughed.
so this is for you.
dear ms teacher,
I understand that as an adult you struggle with big decisions.
There's a career, paying bills, etc.
I completely understand that and have yet to experience that.
You may be struggling with decisions and paying bills,
but there are times where I struggle with the decision to end my life.
And as a teacher, you should be fully aware about mental illnesses in children and teenagers. You should not dismiss them. People like you dismissing mental illness and someone's struggle are reasons why suicide is so common.
Mental health is so fucking important and you don't have to be an adult to have one. You don't have to have gone through a traumatic experience to have one. Sometimes, they're just there.
And we cannot control it. Because trust me, if we could, it would be much easier for us.
So, yeah, I don't struggle with my taxes but I struggle with mental illness and that's pretty fucking important, too.
sincerely, a teenager.
