More than 42% of people surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau in December reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in December according to Nature Portfolio, a leading international weekly journal of science.

 Ninth grade, Melanie Satkowiak thinks it’s important to have good mental health.

“I believe that having good mental health is important in life because just as taking care of your body and looking after your physical health is important,” Satkowiak said. “Taking care of your mental health is equally, if not more, important.”

According to Nature Portfolio, Teenagers have fell down the slope of mental health in the past year by more than 11%.

“Having good mental health can be beneficial because your mind is strong, and with a strong mind, you are able to accomplish anything,” Satkowiak said. “Good mental health means knowing your limits. It means knowing how to motivate yourself and staying motivated and focused.”

Satkowiak thinks having good mental health means recognizing overwhelming feelings with negative emotions and then finding ways to cope with those feelings in a healthy way.”

There are many ways to cope with a bad mental health mindset.

“Some good ways to calm yourself and relax when you don’t have the best mindset about your mental health would be listening to music. Whether it be a playlist of rain sounds, calming nature sounds, instrumental music, or a playlist of all your favorite songs that make you feel good, listening to these can help bring you into a better mindset,” Satkowiak said. 

Mental health can be greatly affected by being on social media and where comparisons are easy to make. 

“Another thing you could try is repeating positive affirmations to yourself in the mirror. Try standing in the mirror and repeating phrases like ‘I am strong,’ ‘I will get through this,’ or ‘I know my value and self-worth.’ Another good exercise could be just high-giving yourself in the mirror, or going through and naming something positive about each of your body parts – ‘my mouth has said hello to friends,’ ‘my ears have listened to a million stories. Another thing you could try is just talking to yourself and really listening. Are you having a rough day? Is there a way you can fix it?”