As academic pressure continues to rise during university application and acceptance seasons, local high schools are fighting the stress by creating safe spaces for students.
Loara High School in Anaheim opens the doors every day to what is called a “well space” designed for students.
“It’s where you can calm down, relax, play your thoughts, give feedback with your current way of thinking, have a better mindset and mental health,” says Hannah, 11th grade student. Tran said.
This room, featuring coffee shop decorations, is intended to help students relax during the day at school.
“They don’t allow phone calls so you can really connect or you can kind of separate yourself from the stress you have right now, so I think it’s the best.” Camila Perez, a 10th grader, added: “So it’s like a school in high school, especially and I just want to keep going. It’s even more stressful. So having this space has, especially for the upper class. I think it’s great to be doing it.”
The space is one of 60 Orange County funded by the state, with more along the way. Health experts say their presence is becoming increasingly needed.
“I think it will help to remove the stigma that is often associated with mental health and coping with stress,” said Carmen Katsarov, executive director of behavioral health integration at Caloptima. “And I think this will go a long way to help the community have a space like this. It sends a really big message to students about health and mental health, that’s fine. Come to a space like this, It’s okay to use that.”
According to the CDC, nearly 40% of high school students feel “desperate” or “permanently sad,” with nearly 30% reporting a decline in mental health.
Students can visit the well space in search of teachers for a break during class. If their needs are beyond what the space can offer, they can ask for it too.
“There’s always an adult there. Adults can double check and make sure everyone is fine,” Principal Gary Brown said. “The little check-in signs they are actually talking about are either just needing a few minutes’ break or have more serious issues, so there are always counselors to help them. ”
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