From the teens:

“If you’re even wondering
whether it’s time to reach out,
then yes, it’s time.”

“Don’t invalidate my issues.”

“It’s better to lose a friendship
than a friend.”

Nineteen teenagers from 12 high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area met in September 2017 at Children’s Health Council (CHC) in Palo Alto, California to talk about mental health.

Over the course of nine months, they created this book, Just a Thought, to express their opinions about the mental health struggles teens face in high school. This is a collection of quotes taken directly from teen survey responses and narration by high school students commenting on the reports of their peers. We are confronted daily with reasons teens may hide their experiences with mental illness. The comments in this book break that barrier. They are raw, unfiltered, and allow the reader to appreciate both the strengths and gaping holes in the health and education systems responsible for taking care of these kids. Teens tell us in this book, in their own words, how we might help. For inquiries, please contact Cindy Lopez, Director of Community Connections, clopez@stage.chconline.org.