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Mental Health and Kids Like Me: A Piece by Christina Carris

When I was 14, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety. I met with therapists and psychiatrists, tried different medicines, and, like many of my peers, attended a program at Compass Health Center in Northbrook. 

From the outside, I seemed fine—busy with dance, student council, Model UN, and other activities.

But on the inside, I was struggling. The activities and passions I used to love I no longer had the motivation to do. My grades tanked, and I would isolate myself from friends and family. At one point, it got so terrible that I couldn’t even get out of bed to take a shower or brush my teeth. 

I was lucky. My parents had the resources and support to get me the help I needed. And, although they didn’t totally understand, they did their best to educate themselves. But what about the kids who aren’t so lucky?

According to the CDC, in 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless, one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health, more than 1 in 5 (22%) students seriously considered attempting suicide, and 1 in 10 (10%) attempted suicide.  Children are facing a mental health crisis that can’t wait—and the slow pace of change in Washington isn’t cutting it.

Our current Congressman talks about mental health, but he’s been in office since I was ten years old, and we still lack comprehensive solutions.

We need mental health professionals in schools, tax incentives for people seeking out mental health training, online therapy assistance, especially for those in low-income families, and more mental health facilities supported by the state and local government. 

Kids can’t afford to wait. A child is only 14 once. Adolescents struggling through high school don’t get a do-over. We have a moral obligation to act with urgency so kids get the support they need now—not years from now.

That’s why I’m asking you to consider my dad, Jim Carris, as your next Congressman. He understands the toll mental health issues take on young people and families. And I know he will work tirelessly every day to pass comprehensive mental health policy into law so that all kids can access the support they need. I know because that is how hard he worked every day to help me.

I worry about a 14-year-old struggling today, facing the same battles I did, while nothing changes. That isn’t good enough.

This November, let’s elect leaders who don’t just talk about mental health but take real steps to help our kids. My dad, Jim Carris, will be that leader.

-Christina Carris

Daughter of Jim Carris, Candidate for Congress, IL-10