Throughout my teenage years, like most young people, I’ve had this intense desire to fit in and belong—to feel confident in my own skin. I found that counting my calories gave me a sense of control when everything else around me felt uncertain.
I didn’t realize how much pressure I was putting on myself until it started to affect not just my mind, but my body as well. Doing physical activity soon became a challenge for me, especially as a student-athlete. Skipping meals after a bad tennis match became normal for me. I told myself I was just being disciplined, but truly, I was punishing myself.
I began pulling away from everyone, as I gradually lost my energy and became more irritated day by day. I felt like there was no way out, but one day, you really just wake up and decide to stop drowning in it. But one question stayed with me—how many other students were quietly struggling to hide the same pain?
Mood matters is a youth-led initiative dedicated to spreading mental health awareness among students from K-12.
Throughout this initiative, we have hosted two events for mental health awareness, reaching 150+ participants across our community, organized presentations based on emotions for elementary schools, educating 250+ students from K-6, and started a Spotify podcast about mental health awareness and guidance, sharing 30+ personal stories from high school students.
You deserve a version of peace that doesn’t depend on perfection. Let your life be messy, let your heart be learning, let your mind take breaks. You’re not meant to perform stability—you’re meant to grow into it.
You can support Mood Matters by partnering with us for school events, volunteering at workshops, or donating self-care packages and other items to mental health centers. Sharing our posts, engaging with our educational content, and creating school chapters of our organization also strengthens our outreach. Above all, continue advocating for better mental health resources in your own communities.
We hope to share more stories from students who struggle with mental health through our podcast. If anyone wishes to be a part of an episode, they can contact @moodmatterss on Instagram or email [email protected]!
