In our project, we will be delving deep into everything about Gen Z’s alarming mental illness epidemic, from the various types of mental disorders to the detrimental effects they have on an individual. Additionally, we’ll compare the information surrounding Gen Z’s mental health with that of past generations and use the data to make an inference about what this means for future ones. The aim of our project is to figure out why mental illness is so rampant in Gen Z, and what steps we can take both as individuals and a collective society to prevent this trend from passing on to the next generation.

(P.S. after copying and pasting our information, some of the words are different colours. It didn't look like that on our google document, so we're not exactly sure why that happened. Other than that, though, all of our information is here) 

MENTAL DISORDERS IN GEN Z: Project Outline 

 

Intro: Brief explanation of what will be covered in the presentation

• What is mental health?
• What is a mental disorder?
• Why is this important to talk about (what’s the point of this project)?

 

Section 1: Common mental disorders in Gen Z

• The different types
• The signs and symptoms 
• How it can affect the carrier 
• How it can affect others

 

Section 2: Mental disorders throughout history

• How were individuals with mental disorders treated in the past?
• How are individuals with mental disorders treated today?

 

Section 3: Why is this happening?

• Look at factors of mental disorders
• How do these factors contribute to the development of mental disorder?
• What can we as individuals do to take care of our own mental health?

 

Section 4: Our own research

• Mental health presentations with grade 6-8 students in our school
• Eshal’s books 

 

Conclusion: What’s the takeaway? 

• Why is this important to talk about (what’s the point of this project)?

 

Introduction

 

  Take a look at the world we live in today; incessant political unrest, volatile genocides of thousands of innocent lives, and millions of misleading yet equally hypnotizing posts about just how rich and happy everyone except for you is. When taking all of this and so much more into account, it’s not hard to believe that nearly 2 out of every 5 Gen-Z-ers have a diagnosed mental condition. The aim of our project is to figure out why mental disorders are so rampant in Gen Z, and what steps we can take both as individuals to take care of our mental health. In our project, we will be delving deep into everything about Gen Z’s alarming mental disorder epidemic, from the various types of mental disorders to the detrimental effects they have on an individual. Additionally, we’ll be taking a look back into the history of how mental disorders were regarded and how people who had them were treated. Finally, we will be showcasing a few of our personal endeavors that were an extension of this science fair project, including mental health presentations with the students in our school and Eshal’s poetry book series about mental health. 

 

What is mental health?

 

  To explain it in simple terms, mental health is how healthy our mind is. Our mental health is defined by how we feel emotionally, socially, and psychologically. Furthermore, our mental health is very important to consider throughout our lives regardless of our age, whether we’re children, teens, adults, or elderly. In addition to this, it can be affected by numerous aspects of our lives, from our mindset and thoughts, to our family and friends, to even our environment and lifestyle choices. Additionally, our mental health can also affect how we, in turn, interact with these factors in our life. For example, if we feel loved and cared for by our family and friends, then this would have a positive impact on our mental health. As a result, we may show our appreciation towards them by buying them gifts or giving them positive affirmations. 

 

What is a mental disorder?

 

  A mental disorder is a mental issue that can affect how a person thinks, acts, and feels. Usually, mental disorders have a negative effect on the lives of the people who have them, as it makes it  challenging for them to stay in control of themselves. Another aspect of mental disorders to consider is that a person who has one may not make it obvious with their appearance and behavior. Some individuals can be born with mental disorders as a result of a physical deformity of the brain. This is very common with certain mental disorders like OCD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism (although not all cases of these disorders are strictly genetic). However, in our presentation, we will be focusing on the mental disorders in individuals that develop as a result of their surrounding environment and the events that occur within it. Another fact to consider about mental disorders is that not all of them can be completely eradicated. Even for the ones that can be, getting rid of it is not as easy as “snapping out of it”. Treating a mental disorder takes immense time, effort, and energy. 

 

Section 1: Common Mental Disorders In Gen Z

 

Depression 

 

  According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 5% of adults worldwide are afflicted with depression. Additionally, a study done by Harvard University in December 2022 discovered that nearly 15% of Gen Z teenagers are suffering from depression. With all these studies and more to go off of, there’s no doubt that depression is one of the more prevalent medical disorders affecting contemporary society. Depression is characterized by a persistent sadness or numbness. One common symptom of depression is a lack of interest in or enjoyment from once fulfilling or delightful activities. If not treated quickly or properly, depression can ease its way into every aspect of one’s life and infuse difficulty into it. From essential aspects like sleep and appetite, to more complex ones like the ability to focus and socialize, depression can slowly shift one’s life into a state of insurmountable unhappiness. 

 

Signs And Symptoms

 

Emotions that an individual with depression might constantly feel include:

 

• Alone/Isolated
• Guilty/Worthless
• Tired/Restless
• Angry/Irritable
• Nervous/Anxious
• Overwhelmed/Indecisive 
• Suicidal

 

Experiences and habits that an individual with depression may suffer from include:

 

• Difficulty making decisions
• Not sleeping enough/ Oversleeping
• Not eating enough/ Overeating
• Not exercising enough/ Over-exercising
• Lost interest in once joyful experiences
• Withdrawing from socializing/social environments
• Drug and alcohol usage
• Acting irrationally or aggressively 
• Engaging in acts of self-harm/attempted suicide 

 

How It Can Affect The Carrier

 

  As listed in the previous subtopic, individuals with depression tend to suffer from a wide array of struggles. Although it has been made abundantly clear how these behaviors can affect a person with depression emotionally, these habits can negatively affect one’s physical health, too. These signs and symptoms can lead to a person with depression experiencing various forms of physical discomfort, such as headaches, cramps, aches, or pains, and stomach issues that do not improve with rest or medication. Furthermore, these physical discomforts could develop into far more serious mental disorders if left untreated, such as various eating and anxiety disorders. 

 

Another aspect to consider regarding depression is that the manners it instills into a person with it creates a vicious cycle that leads to them becoming more depressed. For example, an individual with depression may begin drinking copious amounts of alcohol to cope with their misery. Aside from the obvious health risks this poses, this may also lead to this individual developing an alcohol addition that worsens their depression even further.  

 

How It Can Affect Others

 

  An individual’s social interactions and interpersonal connections can be severely impacted by depression. As a result of depression, individuals may exhibit isolating tendencies, such as withdrawing from attending social gatherings or pushing away their family and friends. If you are close with someone who is or has developed depression, it can be easy to misinterpret their symptoms as rudeness and ignorance and become upset and irritated as a result.  

 

Furthermore, the consistent and seemingly unreasonable misery that an individual with depression may exhibit may cause others to feel unhappy or uncomfortable around them. However, depression can also manifest as irritability rather than sadness, which is especially common in children and teenagers. This can result in them acting irrationally, sporadically, and dangerously around others, which may make them feel anywhere from slightly annoyed to incredibly unsafe. 

 

However, what even less individuals are aware of is that a person suffering from depression could present themself in a completely opposing  manner to the one described above. Instead of exhibiting their depression in an obvious way, they may hide it behind a wall of extrovertedness and enthusiasm. Consequently, many individuals close to this person may not ever realize they were depressed until it’s too late. When an individual with depression behaves this way, it should not be misconstrued as them being mentally healthy or their depression “not being as bad”. In fact, this may actually be a sign that their depression has worsened. This individual may be masking their depression as a result of feeling as though their wellbeing isn’t considered by those close to them. In this case, the person afflicted with depression wouldn’t be having a direct negative on the individuals around them until their depression becomes public. Unfortunately,  this usually comes in the form of self-harm or even suicide. 

 

Anxiety 

 

  According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 18 percent of Gen Z has been diagnosed with a type of anxiety disorder, more than any other generation before. Anxiety is characterized by feelings of unease, dread, and fear. Everyone is bound to feel anxious at one point or another in their life, such as before taking a final exam, dealing with a challenging issue at work, or when making a crucial decision. However, simply feeling anxious is much different than having an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder is what occurs when these feelings occur much more often at more extreme intensities for seemingly little to no reason. Although anxiety disorders mainly center around seemingly unreasonable and often-recurring bouts of anxiety, there are many different types of anxiety disorders, each with their own unique triggers and symptoms. 

 

Types of Anxiety Disorders 

 

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Social anxiety
• Panic disorder
• Phobias

 

Signs And Symptoms 

 

An anxiety disorder can make someone experience

 

• Feelings of unease, dread, and fear
• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Physical aching and pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Negative, self-conscious, and/or nerve-wracking thoughts
• Feeling as if time is moving faster or slower than normal

 

…Even when there isn’t a clear reason or trigger for it. 

 

How It Can Affect The Carrier

 

One common misconception about anxiety disorders is that every person who has it is a reserved, socially-awkward introvert. However, this is not always the case. In fact, different types of anxiety disorders can affect an individual’s feelings and course of action in different ways. On one hand, an individual with social anxiety may feel suffocated in social settings and therefore refrain from attending large gatherings. Additionally, this person may believe that everyone is always staring at them and judging their every move. On the other hand, an individual could have panic disorder, yet be incredibly extroverted and enjoy spending time with large numbers of people. Despite also having an anxiety disorder, this individual may not hold the same beliefs as the first person because they have a differing type. In addition to this, an individual with an anxiety disorder is more likely to develop other types of mental disorders if they don’t take proper care of their mental state and manage the symptoms of their anxiety. 

 

Therefore, not all individuals with anxiety disorders are affected similarly, or to the same degree. As mentioned previously, an individual with social anxiety may be heavily affected by their disorder because it prevents them from even leaving their house. An individual with PTSD from a shooting might have reoccuring nightmares of the incident, which keeps them awake at night and prevents them from getting enough sleep. Meanwhile, an individual with arachnophobia may be able to live a relatively normal life until they come into contact with a spider, in which case they could become overlemed to the point of fainting. The severity and frequency of one’s anxiety disorder and its symptoms can vary heavily depending on a wide range of factors. 

 

How It Can Affect Others

 

  Those with an anxiety disorder can often be tense or restless, and those around them can sense this tension. When someone with an anxiety disorder is suffering from these symptoms, other people frequently don't know how to react to them and may feel uncomfortable being around them. These reactions become far more amplified when an individual is experiencing a panic attack as a result of their anxiety disorder. 

 

BPD 

 

  With approximately 7% of Gen Z being diagnosed with it, borderline personality disorder is a mental disorder that severely impacts a person’s ability to manage their emotions. Having BPD feels like being on a rollercoaster in the sense that one can experience an extensive array of varying emotions in a short period of time. Additionally, those who suffer from BPD have a manipulated and warped sense of self as a result of their unpredictable emotions. One’s self-image, goals, and even likes and dislikes may change frequently in ways that feel confusing and unclear. Another characteristic that those afflicted with BPD possess is being extremely sensitive. Some describe it as like having an exposed nerve ending because small things can trigger intense reactions. Additionally, those with BPD have difficulty calming down once they’ve become upset. 

 

Signs And Symptoms 

 

• Fear of abandonment
• Unstable relationships
• Unclear or shifting self-image 
• Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors 
• Self-harm
• Extreme emotional swings 
• Chronic feelings of emptiness
• Explosive anger

 

How It Can Affect The Carrier

 

As one could imagine, the loss of emotional control can have a multitude of adverse effects on a human being’s life. Firstly, BPD can cause someone to behave impulsively from time to time, which could prove to be extremely dangerous depending on the circumstances. As mentioned previously,  the symptoms of BPD can have major negative impacts on one’s self-esteem, such as never being sure of who they truly are or what they truly desire. Consequently, individuals afflicted with BPD may have an even more difficult time achieving their goals. 

 

How It Can Affect Others

 

  Another reason why individuals with BPD suffer from low self-esteem is because they find it challenging to maintain relationships. People who are borderline frequently struggle to maintain healthy self-control or clear thinking. This may result in them using foul language or behaving dangerously around those that they genuinely care deeply for. Consequently, loved ones of an individual with BPD may sometimes feel uncomfortable or even unsafe around them, even if they know that the way that they are acting doesn’t necessarily reflect their true intentions. 

 

Eating Disorders 

 

With 14% of Gen Z individuals having suffered from one in their life, eating disorders are more prevalent in today’s generation than ever before. Eating disorders are fatal, frequently deadly disorders linked to extreme disruptions in eating habits, as well as associated feelings and ideas. An obsession with food, weight, or appearance can also be an indication of an eating problem. Two of the most common types of eating disorders in Gen Z are Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa.  

 

  Anorexia is an eating disorder where an individual has an extreme and irrational fear of gaining weight to dangerously unhealthy lengths. Anorexia can be broken up into two different subtypes. An individual with the restrictive subtype of anorexia will do everything in their power to avoid eating food. Meanwhile, an individual suffering from the binge/purge subtype of anorexia will consume copious amounts of food, then feel guilty and attempt to lose all the weight through unhealthy means. These unhealthy forms of weight loss include over-exercising, unhealthy fasting, forced vomiting, or excessive laxative use. Regardless of what type, an individual affected with anorexia will never feel light enough no matter how little they eat, how much they exercise, or how much they vomit out. 

 

Bulimia is quite similar to the binge/purge subtype of anorexia in terms of signs and symptoms. However, one noticeable difference between the two is that most anorexic individuals are underweight, whereas an individual with bulimia may be a perfectly healthy weight or even overweight.

 

Signs And Symptoms 

 

• Dramatic restriction of types or amount of food eaten
• Lack of appetite or interest in food
• Dramatic weight loss
• Upset stomach, abdominal pain, or other gastrointestinal issues with no other known cause
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Partaking in unhealthy forms of weight loss (over-exercising, forced vomiting, excessive laxative use etc.)

 

How It Can Affect The Carrier

 

  These habits may have a negative impact on one’s body's capacity to absorb the nutrients it requires. The heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mouth can all be negatively impacted by eating disorders in various ways. Osteoporosis, (thinning of the bone), low blood pressure, anemia, and even heart failure are just a few of the numerous medical complications that can arise as a result of eating disorders. Additionally, those with eating disorders also tend to suffer from suicidal thoughts, acts of self-harm, depression, and anxiety.

 

How It Can Affect Others

 

  When an eating disorder tightens its hold on its victim, shame and secrecy take the place of openness and honesty. Due to the fact that they feel guilty or inadequate about themselves, they may often act secretive or lie about their weight and eating habits. Furthermore, individuals suffering from an eating disorder may feel uncomfortable eating in a social setting for fear of being judged, and therefore refrain from it altogether. However, others may take offense to this as they perceive eating as a social activity and a gesture of kindness. Even if the individual with an eating disorder did not intend to act impolite, others may interpret their actions as such. 

 

Additionally, individuals with an eating disorder may observe a decline in the emotional closeness within their relationships. Their loved ones may notice that they aren’t as enthusiastic or energetic, which may make them feel worried about that individual or inadequate about themselves. 

 

Section 2: Mental Disorders Throughout History

 

From the late 1400s to late 1600s, there was a widespread belief supported by certain religious institutions that individuals who exhibited signs of mental disorders formed agreements with the devil, and thus were demons themselves. Furthermore, the society at the time spread rumors about the  horrible acts that they supposedly committed, such as eating babies or performing black magic. As most people are probably aware, these people were considered witches and were burnt at the stake without proper justification. It is estimated that thousands of mentally ill people were killed after being accused of being witches or influenced by witchcraft. 

 

By the 18th century, mentally ill people began being placed into asylums. Asylums were the first buildings constructed specifically for people with psychological disorders. However, their main focus was to ostracize and isolate them from society rather than treat them. The mentally disordered individuals held in these asylums were beaten senselessly, chained, and imprisoned in windowless rooms. 

 

In the late 1700’s, a French physician named Phillipe Pinel advocated for a more reasonable treatment of the mentally ill. He argued that instead of being locked away in solitary prison cells, they should be freed and spoken to. As a result of setting Pinel’s plan into motion, hundreds of previously oppressed mentally disordered individuals were freed from the asylums and reintegrated back into society. 

 

In 1954, antipsychotic medications were introduced, which were an enormous benefit to those with psychological disorders. One of the greatest ways in which these medicines helped was with easing the symptoms of psychosis, which previously got thousands of individuals killed, tortured, and scorned by society.

 

 Subsequently, the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centres Construction Act was approved by Congress in 1963 and signed into law by John F. Kennedy, offering federal financing and assistance for community mental health centers. Consequently, the United States' approach to providing mental health treatments was altered by this legislation. It allowed mentally disordered people to remain in their communities and get local treatment, which sparked the process of deinstitutionalization and the closure of inhumane asylums. As a result, public institutions institutionalized 558,239 seriously mentally ill individuals in 1955. Additionally, hospitalizations of mentally disorders individuals decreased by 92% by 1994.

 

  Nowadays, society takes much better care of their mentally disordered citizens compared to the atrocities that occurred throughout history. Modern-day asylums have given way to state-run psychiatric hospitals and neighborhood community hospitals that specialize in short-term care. The focus is on brief stays; the average stay of a mentally disordered individual in any psychological institution typically spans from only a few days to two weeks. This is partially because psychiatric hospital stays can run anything from $800 to $1000 each night. Therefore, the amount of time a patient can stay in a hospital for therapy is frequently limited by insurance coverage. Hospitalization is often reserved for patients who pose an immediate risk to themselves or others. As a result, most patients with mental problems do not end up in a hospital. Individuals who experience extreme depression, report hearing voices, or experience constant anxiety may benefit from seeking psychiatric assistance. Someone may be referred for treatment by a parent, friend, or spouse. After seeing their primary care physician, the patient may be sent to a mental health professional.

 

In today’s society, proper psychological treatment can be provided at numerous accessible local institutions, such as a community mental health center. Additionally, a child has the opportunity to visit a school counselor or a school psychiatrist if they feel they are in need of one. 

 

However, society still has a long way to go in terms of mental health institutions. Even in today’s world, there are still individuals in mental institutions who get severely abused and violated.  Although immense progress has been made, society still has quite a ways to go to ensure that mentally disordered individuals in need of serious interventions aren’t mistreated at the very institutions at which they are meant to be helped. 

 

Section 3: Factors and Solutions

 

Factors Contributing to Mental Disorders

 

There are a wide range of sources for an individual’s mental disorder to arise from. This is part of the reason as to why not every individual with the same mental disorder experiences every and all of the same symptoms. Additionally, not every individual who goes through any of the following traumatic events will come out of it with a mental disorder. However, this does not mean that the ones that do are weak or are choosing to have a disorder. 

 

One’s mental health can be negatively affected by:

• Childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect
• Social isolation or loneliness
• Experiencing discrimination and stigma, including racism
• Social disadvantage, poverty or debt
• Bereavement (losing someone close to you)
• Severe or long-term stress
• Having a long-term physical health condition
• Unemployment or losing your job
• Homelessness or poor housing
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Domestic violence
• Bullying
• Military combat
• Physical causes – e.g,. Epilepsy caused by concussion (It's important to rule out potential physical causes before seeking further treatment for a mental health problem).

Additionally, mental health issues may also pass down genetically depending on what disorder is at hand. For example, if an individual’s parents have schizophrenia, their children are more likely to have it as well. Many scientists are still debating if and which disorders stem from genetics, environmental factors, or a combination of both. 

How Do These Factors Contribute to the Development of Mental Disorders?

  People who have suffered from any of the prior factors could isolate themselves from others in an effort to hide their traumatic experiences. Individuals who were abused as children may suffer intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks, all of which are signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Panic, social isolation, and emotional numbness can also be brought on by abuse.

 

  According to several studies, loneliness makes people more stressed. Furthermore, loneliness is linked to a higher chance of developing specific mental health issues. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and sleep issues are just a few examples. 

 

What Can we as Individuals do to Take Care of our Own Mental Health?.

• Talk about your feelings. Just being listened to can help one feel supported and less alone with any problems they’re going through.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep and mental health are closely linked; poor mental health can affect one’s sleep, and poor sleep can affect one’s mental well-being.
• Eat well. A balanced diet can improve one’s sense of well-being and mood.
• Stay active. Physical activity is just as beneficial to the body as it is to the mind. 
• Practice mindfulness. It is a greatly effective way to be fully engaged and present in the moment.
• Keep in touch. Supportive friends can help one deal with the stresses of life, make one feel cared for and offer a different view from whatever is going on in one’s head.
• Care for others. This can be done by working on relationships with family, letting go of old grudges or volunteering. 

  It's crucial to remember that even if one were to practice all of these habits consistently, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they won’t develop a mental disorder or continue possessing an existing one. As with nearly everything in this world, there are millions of factors and events that occur outside of one’s control, yet they continue to have an effect on every single human being's life whether it is desirable or not. Although there are some aspects of life that one will never have control over, one should still try their best to protect and care for their mental well being to the best of their ability. Even if it may not necessarily ever “cure” one’s pre-existing disorder or make it impossible to develop another one, it is certain that one will see the positive benefits of their efforts. 

Section 4: Extended Projects 

 

Research Study

 

Study Question

What is impacting students’ mental health the most?

Study:

 We visited numerous grade 6, 7, and 8 classes in our school and presented a slideshow about mental health and disorders to them. Afterwards, they did an activity where they were split into groups of 4-6 and created a play based on what they learned from our presentation. The students were given 15 minutes to plan out their act and 20 minutes for everyone to present their plays to the class.

Conclusion:

Based on the presentations the students created as well as some of the conversations we had with them, the most prevalent issue plaguing their lives was bullying. The aspects that these students got bullied for ranged heavily, from appearance-based aspects like height and weight, to more personality-driven ones like being uniquely talkative or reserved. Consequently, many children admitted to their mental health suffering as a result of bullying.

Eshal’s books

In literature, poetry would be referred to as part of the four main genres. My book's main genre is poetry.

Open Your Eyes: 

I wrote this over the summer break after eighth grade, when my ELA teacher would constantly remind us that there is injustice in the world and that it is our responsibility as the next generation to be aware of it. She gave us a lesson on the history of Palestine, the diaspora, and racism, and she advised us to be vigilant. I took her words to heart when she told me I had the ability to be a writer. I took a seat and composed poems about every subject I wanted people to know about. Every person should be conscious of the brutality in this world and raise our voices in protest. Each of us has the power to help others and save lives.

A Teaspoon of Mental Health: 

This book was written in February 2023. Following my friend's death, I realized that mental health actually forms the framework of our lives and has the most profound effects on us; individuals all over the world suffer, and nobody is aware of what is going on in one another's life. Many people find it difficult to put their ideas into words, but I felt that I could, so I used my experiences to write poems. Fortunately, a beautiful woman informed me that the book had the ability to save someone's life.

Moonlight:

I started writing letters to individuals after going through a tremendously painful situation that made me believe I was going to die, which is why I wrote this book this year. I've written poetry about things that still give me panic attacks, things that I know other people go through, and my deepest fears and how they made me feel. And even though this book makes me cry every time I read it or look back on it, knowing that I survived and that I disseminated knowledge and helped people rather than spreading negativity and hurt people.This book is the closest to my heart, ‘Moonlight,’ a story through poems written during some hard moments of my life. And my third and final book of my poetry series which grew with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart where the deepest part of my grief dwells.  

 

Conclusion: What’s the takeaway? 

 

Throughout this project, we covered an immense number of topics. From the different types of mental disorders and what effects they have, to the historical perceptions of mental disorders and how we can take care of our mental health, there’s no doubt that we went through an enormous amount of information. But why? What is the purpose of this topic? Firstly, today’s society, although a huge improvement from the past, still harbors many harmful misconceptions regarding those with mental disorders. With an estimated 703,000 individuals committing suicide every year, and thousands more attempting to do so, these stereotypes cannot be written off as harmless words or jokes. They can have a serious impact on the individuals they are directed towards and eventually severely damage and even end entire lives. All the work that has gone into this project is for the sake of deconstructing these harmful misrepresentations and teaching others about what having a mental disorder is truly like. Through our efforts, we are intending to combat mental health misinformation and exercise the compassion of humanity towards the mentally disordered. We are doing this project because we no longer want to live in a world where we stigmatize mental health yet mourn suicide. 

 

Throughout this project, we covered an immense number of topics. From the different types of mental disorders and what effects they have, to the historical perceptions of mental disorders and how we can take care of our mental health, there’s no doubt that we went through an enormous amount of information. But why? What is the purpose of this topic? Firstly, today’s society, although a huge improvement from the past, still harbors many harmful misconceptions regarding those with mental disorders. With an estimated 703,000 individuals committing suicide every year, and thousands more attempting to do so, these stereotypes cannot be written off as harmless words or jokes. They can have a serious impact on the individuals they are directed towards and eventually severely damage and even end entire lives. All the work that has gone into this project is for the sake of deconstructing these harmful misrepresentations and teaching others about what having a mental disorder is truly like. Through our efforts, we are intending to combat mental health misinformation and exercise the compassion of humanity towards the mentally disordered. We are doing this project because we no longer want to live in a world where we stigmatize mental health yet mourn suicide. 

 

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First of all, we would like to give a huge thank you to our our very own science fair coordinator, Mrs. Ghada Aly, for her consistent reliablilty when it came to clarifying questions and giving constuctive feedback throughout every step of our project. We also couldn't have created this project if it weren't for the assistence of our Vice Prinicipal Mrs. Nesmah Elkastawi, who helped us formulate the very idea for this science fair project as well as providing us immensely invaluable feedback whenever possible.

Additionally, we would like to extend a huge thank you to all the grade 6 to 8 homeroom teachers in Akram Jomaa displaying their utmost patience and cooperation with us in order for us to present to their students about mental health. We would also like to thank our Film Studies teacher Mrs. Gopika Chetty for providng us the necessary time, knowledge and thoughtful feedback on our mental health PSAs, of which would not be possible without her. 

Finally, we would like to thank our friends Judy, Mariam, Eliham, and Asma for not only being apart of the writing and acting process of our mental health PSAs, but for also always supporting us emotionally and motivating us to continue working on this project no matter how impossible it felt at times and how much we wanted to give up.