Sunday Funday Moment: El Paso teens create Instagram page to help peers with mental health struggles
El Paso, Texas-- Two Montwood high school teens are hoping their newest Instagram page, 915 Mental Health, will help their fellow peers know that they are not alone when it comes to talking about their mental health struggles.
“Listening has a really big power and we want to be that source,” said Areli Rosales, a junior at Montwood High School and co-creator of 915 Mental Health.
Rosales and Ariadna Perez are both juniors at Montwood high school, and it was their personal mental health struggles that inspired them both to create their instagram page 915 Mental Health.
“I personally went through a lot of depression and anxiety," said Rosales, “I would always cope by staying focused in school and keeping myself busy and with COVID 19 we couldn't go back to school and that was so hard for us because we were so used to interacting with people and keeping ourselves engaged.”
915 Mental Health is an Instagram page that both friends created at the beginning of this year to help teens struggling during the pandemic.
“We just wanted to provide support for teenagers out there that we provide each other because I really think its necessary especially during COVID," said Rosales, “On this page we spread awareness and we advocate and spread tips on any mental health struggles that teenagers can be going through in the 915 community.”
The two friends created the page not knowing what kind of response they would recieve.
“At first when we started the page it was just our friends following it," said Perez, "Now people are reaching out to us and telling us their stories asking for advice and it's really surreal because we never really thought it would get to that point.”
The main goal behind 915 Mental Health is to make other teens feel comfortable seeking the help they need.
"With teens we understand each other on a different level and so it was very necessary to start having these conversations,” said Rosales.
The girls are hoping that more teens are able to find comfort in knowing that they are not alone.
“I would love for this to be the place for them to say 'hey I just need to talk I just need to let it out'", said Perez, "Let us be that outlet.”
