Blog #2 - Charles Pereira

          Why Mental health is Important and Happiness

Let’s be real — the last five years have been wild. Between the pandemic, social media, school pressure, and just growing up, our generation has gone through a lot. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is how different mental health and social life feel now compared to just a few years ago. Some stuff has gotten better, but a lot has gotten worse. I simply wanted to publish this blog and share it all — the bad, the good, and what I think schools like MDC and even the government should be doing in order to help us cope with it all.

Mental Health Is Finally Being Discussed (But We're Still Struggling)

So finally, and most significantly, mental health. Something that people didn't feel like talking about prior to this. These days it's acceptable to admit to having a bad time. We've come so far in just a short period of time — we're less stigmatized, more people freely talk about going to see a therapist, and there's more on the internet to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. I see others posting about it on TikTok, Instagram, even YouTube, and it just makes you feel less isolated.

Places like MDC now offer free counseling, safe spaces on campus, and even 24/7 online therapy. That’s huge. There’s also the national 988 Crisis Line that anyone can call or text if they’re going through it. And telehealth (like online therapy sessions) makes it easier to get help if you’re too busy, anxious, or just don’t feel like going in person.

But even with all that, things aren’t perfect. If I'm being utterly truthful, I know a whole hole bunch of people personally who are still struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and burnout. COVID did affect us. Many of us are so accustomed to distancing, and now it just feels like it's harder to speak to other humans. Services are really clogged too.

 To even get in for a visit is sometimes weeks. And not all the people working in emergency services will handle a person who is going through an emergency of a health type — they consider it a crime and not an emergency of a health type and that is not correct.

What's the Government Doing?

The government is attempting to do it, but it's sort of hit or miss. Federally, there is SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), which funds hotlines, provides money to the states, and does public education. They fund things like the 988 line, provide grants to communities, and assist in getting mental health education out

On a state level, such as here in Florida, is the Department of Children and Families (DCF). They don't offer therapy themselves but do fund local agencies that do. In Miami-Dade, for instance, there is an agency called Thriving Mind South Florida that assists in making mental health care more accessible. They will send individuals to centers such as Citrus Health Network, which offers crisis intervention and outpatient therapy.

All well and good — but we've got a long, long way to go. Not every city or zip code is getting the same type of support. Some schools don't have a single counselor, and many police officers and emergency responders don't get trained in handling mental health cases. Veterans, addicts, and even students such as ourselves are still falling through the cracks. And mental health is not yet getting the same attention or budget as physical health.

What Must Be Done?

This is what I think would be helpful:

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• More school psychologists and counselors employed

• Paramedics and police trained tohandle mental health crises

• Fewer or free mental health clinics set up

• Public events to raise awareness and fight stigma coordinated

• Therapy made easier via apps or walk-in clinics

• Incentives to encourage more people in mental health careers

• Mental health courts instead of jailfor the mentally ill endorsed

• Pass legislation to mandate school mental health training

                                                                                    •style Type Make call to telehealth for mental health across all area

• Build a robust national network of mental health — such as the UK with their NHS

• Increase vet and underserved funding

• Maintain coasting awareness campaigns around the country

•Staff the 988 line fully and have a response system for crisis calls

Mental Health vs Social Life — They're Tied Together

And now, let's talk about having fun. Or at least, what's become of fun.

It was easy just to hang out before COVID. You'd go out, you'd socialize, you'd have fun. But now that "things are back to normal," it's not so normal. A lot of us became so comfortable being home that we don't even know how to just be social anymore. Some are still anxious in the presence of other people, or just kind of clumsy. Some are burnt out, or filled with work, school, and just being.

And we've built a lot of our social lives online — which is both good and bad. On the one hand, you can interact with people all around the world, chill in dope communities, and get things done no problem. But then everything just becomes shallow. We glide stories, and everyone's their best life — but that ain't real life. That perpetual anxiety of having to be at the leading edge of some new thing creates buckets of FOMO, and sometimes it just makes you unhappy.

What Can MDC Do?

This is what I would have Miami Dade College do to better serve students like mine:

• Send reminders of mental health more often by email, on flyers, and social media

• Have counseling available at nights and weekends, not business hours

• Create additional chill areas on campus where students have a place to de-stress or unwind

• Encourage students to plan mental health events and fun group outings

• Place all mental health things on the MDC app and student portal so it's more accessible

Additionally, social life/fun:

• Plan more low-key events like game night, movie night, and food truck fest

• Open up more spaces where students can just hang out — not necessarily study or depart

• Using social media better to actually advertise events that matter to people

• Working with organizations like NACA, NASPA, and Active Minds to organize more effective student events and mental health treatment

Last Thoughts

In the last five years, mental health and social life have changed a lot. We’ve made progress — less stigma, more support, better awareness. But we’ve also hit some new problems — like loneliness, burnout, and a weird new kind of social pressure from always being online.

Colleges like MDC are doing all that they have ever done, but they can do better by resisting for more, hosting more events, and having stronger communities. The government is also trying, but they have to go harder, especially in resisting mental health as physical health and taking care of the vulnerable.

At the end of the day, our generation is building a new version of what it means to be connected — where mental health and social life go hand-in-hand. The future’s in our hands, so we’ve gotta keep pushing for real support, safe spaces, and a college experience that feels meaningful, fun, and balanced.

Let’s be loud, stay involved, and make sure nobody feels alone in this.