Lorain County teen honored for book about bullying, mental health struggles

LORAIN — A local teen was honored Sunday for writing a booklet that takes readers inside the mind of a young person struggling with bullying and suicidal thoughts. Zaya Partin, 13, was presented with a certificate of recognition at the offices of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Lorain County. A student at Elyria's Westwood Middle School, her about 30-page work "My best friend gave me hope." is available in Little Free Libraries across Lorain County. The book combines real-life experience with some fictional elements. "My goal is to be known," Zaya said. "... As long as I'm happy and I get to help people, I want to do a job where I can help other people." The short book details a happy girl whose mental resolve is worn down by bullying at school, contributing to mental health issues and eventually a plan to end her life. But a video chat with her best friend, in which the two were vulnerable about their feelings, leads the narrator to see a future for herself. "It's okay! I am here now and I'm so proud of you," the best friend tells the narrator. The story ends with a reminder for readers who may have a friend or family member struggling with suicidal thoughts: "A little move, action, word, can change EVERYTHING." A list of 10 common warning signs for suicide is included at the end of the book, and students who read it are urged to speak with a trusted adult immediately if they notice any of the warning signs in themselves or others. The book was submitted as part of a program for local young people, which was aided by a grant NAMI received. "I think the more we talk about (mental health), the more we minimize the stigma," said Betsy Amador Ramos, outreach coordinator and program manager for NAMI Lorain County. "... The more that they meet other people that are struggling, they kind of reframe the image they might have in their head of what a mental health condition is." Many young people going through mental health struggles don't know how to explain the symptoms they are experiencing to trusted adults, said Zaya's mom, Christina Beetler. "I think if we better educate them on what they're going through, then they'll understand how to explain it, too," she said. An avid artist, Zaya said the drawings that appear in "My best friend gave me hope" came to her before she found the words to accompany them. Prior to Ramos presenting her with the award, she was given a free session from an artist of a different kind — makeup artist and NAMI board member Chrissy Adkins. Adkins shared her own experience of getting into makeup art. She said her self-esteem was low in high school, but she found makeup to be an escape from the stresses of life. "So I started playing (with makeup), and then when I started playing, I joined the drama club. And it was all downhill from there," she laughed, applying Zaya's foundation. In addition to being available in Little Free Libraries, a digital version of "My best friend gave me hope." was made available to students via a link. If you or a loved one is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. For help via text, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "4HOPE" to 741 741. More information on the NAMI Lorain County office is available by phone at (440) 240-8477 or on its website, Nami-lc.org. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.