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Alison Malmon is the founder and executive director of Active Minds, a nonprofit organization that supports mental health awareness and education for the next generation. She wrote this column for the Chicago Tribune.
To reach a suicide prevention hotline, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
As students return to school, it’s crucial to recognize the invisible struggles they may be facing, especially after the summer break. Navigating new academic and social environments can intensify mental health challenges or even trigger new ones.
Providing students with tools and emotional literacy to support one another and address feelings of loneliness is vital to building a culture of care and resilience that can genuinely make a long-lasting difference in their well-being.
The reality is stark: Youth suicide rates have risen steadily over the last 15 years and are currently the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14 and the third for those ages 15 to 24. These statistics are more than just numbers — they’re deeply personal to me.
When my older brother, Brian, died by suicide at 22, it was a shock to my whole family. We didn’t know how deeply his loneliness and mental health struggles ran. His story is not unique; millions silently battle similar challenges, feeling isolated by the stigma surrounding mental health. This stigma deprived him of the support he needed — support that could have saved my brother’s life.
Young adults are most likely to turn to a friend first when struggling with their mental health, yet 70 percent of peers do not feel prepared to provide support. This school year, let’s remind the young people in our lives that they don’t need to be experts to provide support and create safe spaces for those they care about. Peer-based emotional support is not about solving someone’s problems; it’s about creating an environment in which emotions can be openly shared and help can be sought without fear of judgment.
The need for such safe spaces is urgent. More than one-fifth of high school students have seriously considered suicide. In college, nearly 30 percent of students report severe psychological distress associated with an increasing feeling of loneliness. Now more than ever, youths need safe spaces to express their feelings, establish support systems and build emotional literacy within their communities.
Emotional support has a profound impact on mental health. With the proper knowledge, young people can be powerful agents for change. Peer-led organizations such as Active Minds illustrate how student networks can break down mental health stigma and build trust and respect within their communities. We’ve seen how these systems educate students about mental health awareness, decrease stigma and increase helping behaviors that establish a solid foundation for a supportive network.
Since half of all mental health issues begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24 — critical years when connections among peers are strongest — these relationships can offer crucial lifelines. To prepare students for the new school year, they need resources to guide their mental health throughout the year. By consistently checking in, offering a safe space and maintaining open communication, youths can help peers who might be struggling.
As we work to create safe spaces for all students, it’s essential to recognize that not all challenges are experienced equally. Social stigma is a significant barrier to mental health care, but it disproportionately affects communities of color, where preconceived notions and biases create substantial obstacles to receiving appropriate support.
Black Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience mental health challenges and face a higher risk of suicide compared with members of other racial groups. Despite this, Black college students are statistically less likely to receive a mental health diagnosis. To address this disparity, targeted support and culturally responsive resources are essential in ensuring that all young people, regardless of their background, feel recognized, supported and encouraged to seek the help they need.
With students back in school, it’s vital to prioritize mental health discussions, especially as 67 percent of young adults with mental health symptoms won’t receive the care they need. We can foster a culture of care and resilience by equipping students with skills such as emotional literacy, active listening and validation.
Mobilizing young people to lead these conversations addresses immediate needs and paves the way for lasting change. Let’s use this new school year as an opportunity to ensure every student feels supported, valued and prepared to make a difference.
