Poetry, creative writing and just listening can combat teen mental health risks | Opinion
They’re experiencing heartache, depression and anxiety. Sometimes they’re falling in love, but often it’s unrequited, or they’re navigating a bad break-up. They care about the environment, they fight for social justice, and they don’t care what your personal pronoun is — as long as you respect theirs.
Most often, they just want people — especially adults — to listen to them.
This is what I learned from the students performing their original poetry at the Detroit Youth Poetry Slam hosted by InsideOut Literary Arts. Fifteen brave teens competed to be one of the top five prize-winning finalists, and over 100 audience members cheered them on.
I’m no stranger to youth poetry performances. As executive director of InsideOut Literary Arts, I’ve been to countless open mics, creative writing workshops and public performances. I’ve been moved to tears more times than I can count, and I’ve been pulled to many a standing ovation with whoops and hollers that would rival any sporting event. There is always something deeply powerful about what young people have to say — their voices are raw and real and courageous.
At the same time, I’ve known for several years that adolescent mental health has continued to worsen post-pandemic. (Check out the CDC’s full report on youth risk behavior, which includes the fact that nearly half of high school students reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless.) But we also know something else: Just one caring adult can make a difference. According to the CDC, "Research shows that surrounding youth with the proper support can reverse these trends and help our youth now and in the future."
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The young people who touched the stage wrote on perennial topics for teens through the ages — parents and first loves — and pressing issues for recent generations in particular — racial injustice and climate change.
But something about this particular event felt different: that surrounding of support from the audience really stood out.
I can’t remember the last time I watched a room full of strangers become a community before my eyes. As each teen approached the mic, took a deep breath, and prepared to bare their soul, the audience was there to meet them. They clapped and cheered them on. There were hugs and high fives. This event was not just about the bravery of the young poets, but the love, joy and enthusiasm of the crowd.
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When one teen struggled to find their words, they were met with finger snaps. When another shared the difficulties of living in a “broken home” the audience yelled encouragement. And when a student earned a rare “perfect score” for a bilingual protest piece modeled after Tracy Chapman’s “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution,” the audience erupted into thunderous applause.
This was “one caring adult” personified — a whole room of them in fact.
It’s also the answer to an unintended burden many adults place on young people; it’s tempting to think that these brave young poets, and the many youth activists of their generation, will “save” us. But this is unfair, shrugging our responsibility to really show up for them.
While poetry may be the frame for InsideOut’s programming, what we’re really building is community — a place where caring adults hold space and really listen, and where students know they belong. When it comes to the young people in your midst, I hope you’ll join me in the audience. Listen earnestly. Ask questions, or better yet, just say: Tell me more.
Suma Karaman Rosen is the Executive Director of InsideOut Literary Arts, based in Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mental health risk for teens is high. Here's one way we can help them
