It’s OK to Talk About the Hard Stuff: Lessons From a Teen Mental Health Champion

Staff Writer

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At just 16 years old, L.M., a recent graduate of our Teen Mental Health Champion Program, delivered a speech that left a lasting impact on everyone in the room. Her honesty, vulnerability, and strength reflect exactly why programs like this are so urgently needed. According to NAMI, 50% of all mental health conditions begin by age 14, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 14. These are more than just statistics — they are a call to action. L.M.’s words remind us that behind every number is a real story, and every story deserves to be heard. Read her full speech below:

Hi everyone,

I wanted to start off by saying thank you to Andrew aka Big Dog and Sid (or Sidney, depending on the vibe/day) for being a safe space. Thank you for letting me cry, for not judging my tears or me, and for teaching us, all of us, not just about mental health, but how to live with it, manage it, and talk about it like its ok- because it is. Thank you both for making it ok to talk about the hard stuff, and for giving us the actual phone numbers and resources to reach out to when we’re in crisis.

Now…I want to talk about something real, something that doesn’t get talked about enough, and is often misunderstood=self-harm.

If you ever see someone with scars…please…don’t point them out. Don’t whisper about them. Don’t stare. I need you to know- pointing them out doesn’t help. Judging doesn’t help. Self-harm isn’t about attention. It’s not about being dramatic. Most of the time, its a quiet way of saying “I don’t know how to say I need help.”

Judging someone for their scars can make them feel ashamed, small, embarrassed, or even insecure. You never truly know what someone is going through. That one comment about their arms, their thighs, their story, they might carry that for years. So instead of pointing, whispering, or labeling someone, how about asking “Are you okay?”, “How can I support you?” Or just saying nothing at all- but showing love through kindness. Through presence. Because sometimes, just being there is everything.

Mental health isn’t always clean and quiet, it’s messy. It’s crying in bathrooms, zoning out in class, smiling when your whole world is falling apart. But it’s also healing…slowly. Laughing again. Learning how to cope in healthier ways. Starting over again and again- and again.

And that’s what this class gave us: a safe place to learn, grow, fall apart a little, and build back stronger. Together.

To my classmates: thank you for being a part of this journey. You are brave. You are resilient.

To everyone out there struggling silently: I see you. Your story matters. Your pain is real. But so is your strength.

You are warriors.

You are kind.

You are beautiful.

And you are so, so, so strong.

I want to end with a quote that has stuck with me and means a lot to me:

Your skin isn’t paper, so don’t cut it.

Your face isn’t a mask, so don’t hide it.

Your size isn’t a book, so don’t judge it.

Your heart isn’t a door, so don’t close it.