Teens can submit essays in national ‘Speaking Up About Mental Health’ contest

Mental health is an important part of overall health across all life stages. However, far too often, symptoms are not addressed or recognized among teens.

Are you interested in raising awareness around mental health? The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities want to learn from teens, age 16-18, in the “Speaking Up About Mental Health” national essay contest.

Topics may include stigma and barriers, resilience and coping strategies, school policies or practices, the impact of social media and technology, and more.

Learn more about the contest rules and cash prizes via www.challenge.gov or nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest.

The contest aims to start conversations about mental health and encourage young people to seek help for mental health issues.

This contest is soliciting essays that:

• Discuss ways to eliminate and/or reduce mental health stigma faced by young people, especially in diverse communities;

• Share resilience and coping strategies to overcome mental health issues such as social isolation and loneliness, depression, and anxiety;

• Address mental health stigma;

• Encourage conversations about mental health, social media, and/or technology;

• Suggest school policies or practices that could help reduce stigma;

• Describe barriers to mental health treatment;

• Cover other areas of concern to individuals and their communities with respect to mental health.

Submissions will be accepted through Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.

Winners will be announced on May 31. Multiple winners will be chosen to receive cash prizes.

Find more contest details at nimhd.nih.gov/EssayContest.

On social media, you can follow the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at @nichd_nih, or the National Institute of Mental Health at @nimhgov.