The Weight of Words

Preston Douglas

9th Grade

Hillcrest High School

Riverside County

My submission is a short visual piece focusing on the relevant topics of mental health following suicide prevention. My submission creates a short story of imagery that demonstrates internally someone’s mental health and their way of dealing with that, while feeling as they need to suppress their feelings or words. Highlighting how important it is to recognize and support those who might be silently struggling. Comprehending the depth of these topics allowed me to explain to the best of my ability the criteria of the competition. I wanted to make sure I stood by the principles showing how mental health should be handled and to help others know that their lives are very reasonable. The way we think of ourselves can direct us in directions, and sometimes mental health struggles contribute to suicidal thoughts. Depicting from my own experience mental health is a factor to suicidal reasoning, so allowing myself to illustrate the issues of mental health makes others mindful of the factors towards suicide. I aimed to make sure my submission included the most common concept of how others feel or think of themselves as burdens when expressing or being fond over self-significance. But people who are aware of this mindset being held among someone should know to offer them to reach out, understand their struggle and to help. Simply, my message within this entry is to inspire viewers, help those know to find help or even guidance, and importantly don’t be ashamed to share your feelings or words.