I have to say this, hate me or not: high schoolers are prone to mental health issues. As we all go through puberty, there are a lot of changes happening inside us, both physically and mentally. For the physical part, these are new body hair (in armpits, pubic hair, mustache, etc.), a different voice, as well as a stronger build. And for the mental part, these are things such as sexual tendencies, desires for romance, along with more complex relationships with people around. And of course, this is our first time to live in this world and the first time experiencing these drastic changes, hence we can get easily overwhelmed by it. As a result, it can be easily observed that a lot of high schoolers tend to face different mental issues: procrastination, lack of motivation, loneliness, recklessness, all of those sorts. If these mental issues are not treated properly, either by a professional or by yourself and family, the consequences can be extreme - depression, suicidal thoughts, and other things, such as a proclivity to do bad things that can harm others. Because of this, the importance of taking care of your mental health should be greatly emphasized, and today, let's look at some tips on how you all can deal with different issues in life and prevent mental health issues from affecting your life.
  
The first advice I would like to share out here is actually the most important, even if people disagree with it or not: please, please listen to your heart and your mind at the same time, as well as balancing it out. First is the heart part: you are the only one who can control yourself, so never ignore what you are telling yourself. Life is not about others, it is ultimately about you, and remember that at the end of the day it is you who will make decisions for yourself - pursue what you want, do things that make you feel fulfilled inside. Sometimes, I know that other people’s ideas do make sense, and that they are trying their best to help you - but if it is not aligning with what you want, you are only trying to go against what you actually want. But along with that, please never forget the mind part: we are young, and we are prone to make mistakes. Sometimes we like to do something, but then it is going against what you should be doing, hence that is when the mind part comes into play. While it is extremely beneficial to follow your passion and do what you think is good for yourself, before making any choices in life, always think of it - what can you gain from it, and what potential consequences can it be. For example, you are never satisfied with your life and you want to try out drugs to have a more fulfilled feeling, but then that is when you have to use your head: is this short-term happiness worth it in the long run? Basically, the overall message here is to never let anyone limit you from doing anything, but at the same time you have to be aware of the things you are doing.
 

Next is to listen to advice from elders. No high schoolers are perfect - you can get into drama, you may have hurt someone either intentionally or not - and if you ask older people, like your family, it is certain that they may have made some mistakes when they are at your age. But the thing with older people is that they have gone through it already, and from all those failures they have learned something that a high schooler may not be able to grasp yet. Hence, whenever you have any issues, personally I would prefer talking to an adult rather than talking to a friend - remember, a friend of yours hasn’t existed longer than you are, hence they certainly can’t have that rich life experience compared to adults.
  
Next is journaling, which is something that I often practice. Your mind can only store a limited amount of information, and when there are too many things happening around you, it can get very messed up, and chances are, you won’t be able to sort them out. Because of this, journaling is an effective way of dumping all your thoughts down, so that hopefully you may be able to find a way to get through all the things going on. Journaling can also track your progress in life, and you can always come back to it when you need something to cling onto whenever you feel desperate about your life.
  
Finally, please take care of yourself! This life can get pretty exhausting, so it is important that you are taking care of yourself properly by treating yourself right. For example, whenever I feel a bit messed up within myself, I often go out and go to a shopping center by myself. Personally, a little trip on my own makes me feel very good, where I can get away from all the things in my life temporarily and just relax my mind out. It doesn’t take that much of the time, but it will surely make you a lot more motivated! Remember: you are the most important thing that you have in this world!