Surviving sixth form: a story of mental health in adolescence
| Published date | 17 September 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-08-2019-0020 |
| Date | 17 September 2019 |
| Pages | 17-22 |
| Author | Carys J. Morley |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Surviving sixth form: a story of mental
health in adolescence
Carys J. Morley
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to share experiences of attending sixth form with mental health
difficulties and provide tips to young people for coping. Its aim is to encourage empathy and understanding of
young people suffering with mental illness. It is the second in a series of three papers exploring mental health
at different stages of education.
Design/methodology/approach –A narrative, first-person approach is taken.
Findings –Advice and reflections for young people with mental health difficulties are provided.
Originality/value –The paper is one person’s experiences and is therefore unique. It contributes a voice to
the much-needed discussion on teenagers and mental health, and promotes an understanding of mental
health to both teenagers who maybe experiencing difficulties and those who know such teenagers.
Keywords Mental health, Adolescence, Sixth form, Borderline personality disorder, Education,
Depression, Service user, Emotionally unstable personality disorder
Paper type Viewpoint
My story
After the traumatic five years spent at secondary school, sixth form was a chance for me to start
anew. I spent the summer between secondary school and sixth form alone –I did not see anyone
except my family. I spent my summer reading, sleeping and playing games. I did not attend my
secondary school prom, and did not speak to anyone I attended school with. And the day I got
my GCSE results, I knew I needed to put the whole horrible ordeal behind me.
Something new and interesting happened to me that day, however. I achieved far better
grades in my GCSEs than I had been anticipating. I got into a grammar school sixth form,
notorious for its exceptionally high achievement and privileged students. After years of being
told and believin g that I was worthless, something c licked. I finally had value: I coul d be smart.
Smart Carys was an identity people might like! Smart Carys was useful and people respected
her. Smart Carys was fashionable, nonchalant and effortless. She would make friends with the
fancy and smart grammar school people.
I tried to imagine what a clever person looked like, and bought clothes accordingly. I bought
stationery; notebooks; binders; a fancy diary; got a fancy new haircut and dyed my hair. I was
ready to step into my new role as Studious Carys. I thought of all of the people who would want
to be friends with me because I knew things. Once I had accrued some respect, I figured that I
would be able to trap people into friendship –lure them in with smarts, and keep them with my
new, nonchalant and painfully cool persona. It was a fool proof plan!
On my first day of sixth form, I was thrown aback. The first person I saw as I walked into my
registration class for the first time was the boy who assaulted me when I was 15. His smug face
would greet me every single morning, a cruel reminder of everything I had resolved to forget. He
stared at me from across the room on my first day, and I welled up within the first 15minutes.
I heard him laughand joke and tell everyone abouthis amazing summer; every wordspoken in that
Carys J. Morley is an
Independent Writer based in
Leeds, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-08-2019-0020 VOL. 24 NO. 1 2020, pp. 17-22, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAG E 17
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