NOLANVILLE, Texas — Donte Jennings,16, was having a difficult time with his mental health last year and decided to write a book named 'Don't Quit'.
This book speaks about his personal journey through mental health awareness and gives advice for other youth who may be dealing with the same struggles.
Back in May 2021, Jennings endured mental health struggles. Some symptoms included erratic behavior and lack of sleep.
Mental Health America reports 15.08% of youth (age 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year.
Soon after, Jennings mother Elizabeth Jennings took him to the hospital to be treated for mental health struggles. There's a portion of the book where Jennings mother speaks about helping her son in her perspective. The road to recovery was a difficult process not only for Jennings, but his mother as well.
The book says in part:
"It was all co confusing and unclear. Everyone kept asking what happened and we didn't any answers to why my son had such a drastic break in his mental health,"
After months of recuperation, the Jennings family adopted "A New Normal" and adjusted to the need of Donte.
Soon after, he brought up the idea of writing a book about his experience and answers questions about mental health.
"When I wrote this book, I was just going through a sunken time in a sunken place. I was just sad and then I was like mom, let's make a book together," Jennings shared.
His book was published earlier this year and he hopes his testimony will allow readers to tap into their strength and understand the message of finding yourself.
Jennings mother also mentioned the importance of her son being a black man being vocal about mental health.
"During Donte's journey, I also went to seek therapy and it was a benefit for me and my son. We still do to this day," Elizabeth explained.
The beauty of 'Don't Quit' is it's not just Donte's story, but a story many young people can relate to. Both him and his mother hope this book will raise awareness to proactive ways parents and children can talk about mental health.
"I want people to look at his book and read it and be like, have their own way of her not dealing with it. I just want people to really read this book and be like man this is pretty pretty relatable don't quit," Jennings shared.
Donte and his mother are working to get their book into Central Texas libraries and working to speak at local conferences in the near future.
A link to his book can be found here.