One in five students attending public schools across the United States are facing mental health disorders, but don’t know if there is qualified help.

Many students don’t feel there is a safe place to discuss what goes on in their mind which can make one feel trapped and adds more flame to the fire of sadness.

80 percent of students who need services won’t get them, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Why haven’t people reached out for help? Simply because no one ever asked, or what they are offered feels it won’t suffice their needs.

It is important for students to get help because the healthier someone is mentally, the more they have the will to show up to school daily, socialize with peers and staff and perform the best they possibly can academically. Sadly, mentally ill students have a challenge to complete those tasks.

There are counselors, school psychologists and teachers that express they’re available to talk to, but students still feel like there’s no help. Most students don’t feel they can ask a counselor to simply change a class or, a teacher to help them with a bad grade. So, feeling comfortable expressing personal issues is often a struggle.

To solve this increasing problem, anyone who deals with a mental issue should write down feelings and thoughts in a journal, or find a friend or family member that is willing to listen to what is troubling and in extreme cases, know the suicide hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.

Schools need to offer more than an hour long yearly assembly about suicide prevention. Train staff how to deal with students facing mental struggles and make support groups.

Understand that just because people cannot see what someone is going through does not mean that it isn’t happening.