From 2010 to 2015, there has been a 28 percent increase in teenage suicides. But a group called Young Minds Matter aims to bring hope to young adults considering making the choice to end their life.
19-year-old Jazmyn Gonzalez hasn't always been so happy. "I went through my anxiety and depression on and off through high school, and it was really really hard for me. I got to really really low place; really dark places," she said.
Through her work with Young Minds Matter, a program of the Health Collaborative, which aims to bring awareness to youth mental health issues, and through her artwork, she's been able to overcome depression. "If I'm not feeling so great one day, and I feel like pulling out the paint, I might use darker tones. If I'm feeling really good one day, I really just want to put that on to a canvas and use lighter tones, a happier more positive expression," Gonzalez said.
She says the key is being able to express your feelings to those who you believe will listen. She said, "When you speak those feelings and say, 'I'm not doing okay,' that's when they will reach out and you will know that is my support system. That's who is here for me."
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 8 percent of youth have an anxiety disorder. That number goes up to 11 percent when you are talking about mood disorders.
20 percent of youth between the ages of 13 and 18 live with some type mental health condition. About half of those with a mental illness above the age of 14 end up dropping out of school. Finally, 75 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness develop by age 24.
Gonzalez said, "Being open is what kills stigma, and the more we kill stigma, the better and easier it will be for people to come out and say they are dealing with these issues."
On August 24 and 25, they'll be holding their annual Pathways To Hope event with musical Artist Gawvi. The event is free to the public, and Gonzalez says she's seen that event change peoples' lives. "It's awesome to see peoples faces light up when they feel that burst of encouragement that burst of hope just to get into their spirit and see them smiling," Gonzalez said.
For more information about the organization and the Pathways To Hope event, check out their Facebook site here: https://www.facebook.com/youngmindsmattersa/
Or their website here: https://www.youngmindsmatter.com/