21st Century Care

A Guide to Mental Wellness

For students, families, and anyone who wants to know the signs and how to help.

The way adolescents spend their time can strongly influence their health later in life. For youth to maintain a healthy future, they need plenty of sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise, and time to form healthy relationships with family, friends, and caring adults. The amount of time they spend on screens and social media can also influence their development and their relationships with peers and adults. The time adolescents spend in school and in after-school activities with peers and adults can advance healthy academic, emotional, social, and physical development and overall well-being.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Depression?

  • Do you constantly feel sad, anxious, or "empty," like you feel nothing?
  • Do you feel hopeless, or like everything is going wrong?
  • Do you feel worthless, or like a burden to others?
  • Do you feel guilty about things without a clear reason?
  • Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family?
  • Do you feel irritable much of the time?
  • Have you lost interest in activities and hobbies you used to enjoy?
  • Are your grades dropping?
  • Have you lost or gained weight recently without meaning to?
  • Do you have unexplained aches, headaches, cramps, or stomach problems?
  • Do you have trouble making decisions, remembering things, or concentrating?
  • Do you feel restless, or have trouble sitting still?
  • Do you always feel tired, or have less energy than usual?
  • Have you ever tried to harm yourself?

A recent survey found that 41% of female students and 31% of male students consistently experienced symptoms of depression and anxiety over a 12-month period.† It's more common than it might feel — you are not alone, and it's treatable.

If you answered yes to that last question, please don't wait — see what to do if someone is considering suicide below, for yourself or for someone else.

What Is Depression?

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a medical illness that can interfere with your ability to handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or managing schoolwork. Depression is common, but that doesn't mean it isn't serious. It can happen at any age, but symptoms often begin in the teens, early 20s, or 30s, and it can occur along with other health conditions, such as substance use.

What Should a Student Do If They Have Depression?

  1. 1

    Reach out to someone you trust

    Talk to a trusted parent or guardian, teacher, or school counselor. If talking to an adult doesn't feel comfortable yet, start with a friend.

  2. 2

    See a doctor

    If you're under 18, ask your parent or guardian to schedule an evaluation with your doctor, who can rule out a physical cause and, if needed, refer you to a psychiatrist, counselor, psychologist, or therapist who can diagnose and treat depression.

National Safe Place's TXT 4 HELP line connects you with a live advisor by text — text "safe" plus your current location to 4HELP (44357). Learn more at nationalsafeplace.org.

What Else Can a Student Do to Manage Depression?

Treatment takes time to work. In the meantime:

  • Stay active — even a short walk helps.
  • Try to keep a regular sleep schedule.
  • Spend time with friends and family.
  • Break tasks down into smaller steps, and tackle them one at a time.

What Can I Do If Someone I Know Might Have Depression?

If you think a friend or someone you know might have depression, help them talk to a trusted adult and connect with a health professional — remind them that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You can also:

  • Be supportive, patient, and encouraging, even if you don't fully understand what they're going through.
  • Invite them to activities, social events, or just to hang out — don't let them isolate.
  • Never ignore comments about death or suicide, even if they seem like a joke or "not serious." Take them seriously every time.
  • Talk to a trusted adult — a parent, teacher, or older sibling — as soon as you can if it seems serious. You don't have to handle it alone either.

Helpful Apps for Anxiety Management

These apps (Android and iOS) are mentioned in our printed guide as extra support between appointments — they don't replace professional care:

🧠

SAM: Self-Help for Anxiety Management

Self-help tools and information to help you understand and manage anxiety.

💬

TalkLife

A large peer-support network for anyone working through a mental health struggle.

🎮

Depression Quest

An interactive experience illustrating how depression can affect someone's choices and daily life.

🧩

Lumosity

Games designed to help strengthen cognitive abilities.

🌱

SuperBetter

Tools to help build resilience — the ability to stay strong, motivated, and optimistic through difficult obstacles.

What Should I Do If Someone I Know Is Considering Suicide?

Family and friends are often the first to recognize the warning signs of suicide, and can take the first step toward helping someone find help. If someone tells you they're thinking about ending their life:

  • Don't leave them alone.
  • Don't promise to keep it a secret. Tell a trusted friend, family member, or another adult right away.

In crisis right now?

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.

For a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

The Crisis Text Line is another free, confidential option — text HOME to 741741 and a trained crisis counselor will respond, 24/7.

You can also reach the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential treatment referral and information, 24/7.

Worried About a Post on Social Media?

If you see messages or a livestream showing suicidal behavior, call 911 immediately — then use the Lifeline or Crisis Text Line above too. Most major platforms also have their own reporting tools for exactly this (search terms below are in English, since that's what each platform's help center uses):

These platform tools can take time to respond. Don't wait on them — call 911 first if someone is in immediate danger. Even a stranger stepping in has saved lives.

Sources

Adapted from 21st Century Care, LLC's printed patient-education handout, "A Guide to Mental Wellness." Cited sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System; National Institute of Mental Health, "Teen Depression"; Child Mind Institute, "A Day in the Life of a High School Teen." This page is educational information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care — see a doctor or licensed mental health professional for that.