“Life will keep throwing challenges at us but I want to stress the importance of your mental health. A lot of people, especially youth, experience mental health issues. We all suffer from overthinking and anxiety. Life is difficult, but the fact that we’re still here is a gift. Through every episode, through all the anxiety, through all those uncomfortable situations, we’re still here.

Now I can’t even begin to understand how hard your situation is, but you’re alive and that’s all that matters. If you are struggling, please reach out to someone you trust, you don’t have to handle everything all alone. To all parents and friends, please check up on your peers regularly. We might not know the impact that we’re making at that moment, but our battles with mental health become easier simply by lending an ear. All it takes is the effort to acknowledge us.” - Visalia Youth

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