Brighter days are ahead

Nearly half of high schoolers reported feeling sad or hopeless in the past year. Here's why so many are struggling-and how you can get help.

- By Emily Laurence and Katherine Hammer

For Haley P., 16, the new school year should've been full of exciting experiences, from AP classes in her fave subjects to getting her driver's license to finally going to in-person football games.

"Everything was supposed to be amazing, but I was feeling anything but," says Haley. Wrestling with tough classes, fights at home with her mom and feelings that her friends were talking behind her back, she spiraled, experiencing less motivation to be social, less ambition toward her goals and a general meh mood. "I felt overwhelmed," she shares, "like I was in a battle with myself."

Haley's not alone. Nearly half of high school students in a recent CDC survey reported feeling sad or hopeless in the past year. And as many as one in three teens has an anxiety disorder, describing persistent feelings of dread, fear or uneasiness.

Saying it louder for the people in the back: Your mental health matters. It's time to be honest about not feeling OK-and start to make day-to-day changes to prioritize your growth, open up to others around you or seek out more support for your symptoms. Not sure where to start? We're here to help.

TUNE INTO YOUR THOUGHTS

As a teenager (or a person in general), it's normal to go through momentary mood swings, experience surges of anxiety or simply have a bad day.