Welcome!!
Welcome to the Butterfly Project! On this website I will be discussing the importance of mental health in high school students and kids and ways to cope with a bad one. Wether you are here for to benefit from the website or simply just to learn about the cruciality of mental health, I hope it finds you well!
What is the Butterfly Project?
The Butterfly Project is a student run community awareness project that educates others about the importance of mental health and creates crafts for hospitals throughout Texas. Our mission is to instill a sense of hope, strength, and positivity to kids and teens in hospitals through our butterfly friendship bracelets and origami butterflies. We hope that our crafts defeat any mental battles that the kids/teens may be going through and provide them a sense of light.
Hello!!
My name is Kiana Douglas
I am currently a senior in high school and engage in various activities at my school. One thing I love to do is run track. However, I created this project to discuss the importance of mental health in high school students and kids. I feel like this topic is definitely talked about but often times overlooked. Whomever may be reading this and is struggling with their mental health, I promise everything gets better and we will get through this together! To learn more about the butterfly project check out my instagram by clicking the logo below!
What is Mental Health?
Why is it Important?
Why High School Students and Kids?
Benefits of a Good Mental Health...
Mental health refers our overall physological well being, which includes our behavioral and emotional aspects. It involves how we think, feel, and behave, and affects how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices in our daily lives.
A poor mental health is way more than just being sad, and can impact various areas of a teen's life. Which is, spoiler alert, NOT GOOD! For instance, youth with a poor mental health often struggle with school, grades, decision making, health, and relationships. Furthermore, mental health problems in teens and kids often go hand and hand with behavioral risks, such as substance usage and violence experience. However, recognizing a poor mental health and adapting healthy coping skills at an early age can impact one's adulthood. So why is is important... BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOU AND YOUR FUTURE!! You don't want to throw away your life ahead of you because of a poor mental health, do you? There is so much to see, do and learn in this world!! Instead we should learn how to maintain and transform to a healthier mindset.
You may be wondering, " Why does your project revolve around a younger target audience?". Well that's because often times poor mental health in high school students and kids are not taken seriously. Some parents or other guardians regard poor mental health as just a "phase" or a "choice" that can be changed quickly. However, none of that is true and can impact a kids life immensely. In the past year, 15 percent of teens suffered at least one major depressive episode—that’s an additional 306,000 teens over the previous 12 months, according to the 2022 data from Mental Health America. On top of that, nearly two-thirds of teens with major depression say they haven’t gotten any help. This is a huge problem that needs to be changed.
Having a good mental health will not only clear your mind but allow you to live your life freely without anything holding back. In addition, it includes:
> Productivity
- Students will be more productive and motivated to engage in academic studies and goals.
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> Higher self-esteem
- Students will have a more positive outlook on themselves and feel more confident about their abilities.
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> Positive contributions
- Students will be more engaged and participate more in and out the classroom.
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> Improved physical health
- Students will develop healthy lifestyle habits.
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Ways to Cope with a Poor Mental Health
Often times the best way to cope with a bad mental health is to drift your mind away from things by either learning new things or simply reflecting on yourself. So, here I have listed some ways you could cope with a poor mental health.