Glenn Close is a famous actress, but she also helps run a non-profit organization, Bring Change To Mind (BCTM). This group advocates for mental health awareness and support in schools and communities across the country. 

BCTM creates multimedia campaigns and develops youth programs to help encourage diverse cultural conversations around mental health. These groups encourage teens to talk about their thoughts and opinions in dealing with their mental health.

Junior Alexandria Stevens said, “So, she’s bringing awareness to what’s happening, I think it’s a good thing.”

Close started this group due to mental health struggles in her own family. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults suffers from mental health issues, and one in six children, ranging from ages 6-17, also experience mental health disorders.

According to CNN, “Most families are dealing with some aspect of mental health. When my sister Jess came to me and said, ‘I need help because I can’t stop thinking of killing myself,’ it was like a bolt out of nowhere” Close said.

Close wanted to help others who are struggling with their own issues and mental illnesses, so that everyone could be happy and healthy. According to the American Psychological Association, more than twenty percent of teens have considered taking their own lives. BCTM would be a great help to lower this number.

CNN also mentioned, “It’s a chronic illness,” Close said. “It’s not who you are. It’s something, because we have this amazing, wondrous, fragile brain, it’s part of being a human being.”

Often, a teenager’s mental health goes unnoticed until it’s too late, because we are taught to mask our emotions, even as young children. However, anyone could sign up to join a BCTM group. It’s not too late. There are many people to talk to, and if you notice someone struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out.