Mental health challenges affect 1 in 5 youth each year, yet most never get the support they need. Too often, young people stay quiet, try to handle things alone or believe that no one would care if they got better. Caring adults can make all the difference, but only if they know how to recognize … Read more
As a parent or guardian, when should you be concerned about teen mental health? How can you determine if your child is going through normal adolescent behavior or is experiencing something more serious like a mental health challenge? Adults often joke about the moodiness and unpredictable nature of teenagers. As teens go through puberty, spend … Read more
“Doomscroll.” “Brainrot.” These terms, and more like them, refer to the amount of time we spend absorbing negativity from our phone’s news and social media feeds. And they’ve quickly become part of our everyday vocabularies. The concern over doomscrolling isn’t for nothing: concerns persist about smartphone and social media use and mental health, particularly among … Read more
As young adults carve out their place in the world, their new interests and pursuits often push them away from the scaffolding of the familiar – family and high school friend groups – leaving many feeling untethered as they transition to adulthood. Youth who have experienced trauma or identify as part of marginalized populations may … Read more
College can be an incredibly exciting time for young adults – and it comes with potential stressors like financial burdens, academic pressure, homesickness and pandemic-related hardships like social isolation, any or all of which can lead to mental health challenges. A study by the American College Health Association found that 48% of college students reported … Read more
In my sophomore year of high school, I took the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) course as part of my gym class, and my number one takeaway is that mental health is just as important as physical health. This is especially true for student athletes like me, who often sacrifice their mental wellbeing for … Read more
Beginning or returning to college can be an exciting time for students. Each year is a new chapter filled with learning, discovery and opportunities. But, how students respond to the stressors of higher education varies from person to person — and sometimes anxiety, depression and substance use challenges affect physical and mental wellbeing. If not … Read more
College campuses are a melting pot of cultures and experiences. Students can hail from the same state as their school, or from across the world. Some are first-generation students and some have alumni in their family. Some live in dorms on campus while others may live in off-campus apartments. But among the differences, one statistic … Read more
Mental health in college students is a big issue on campuses these days. Across the United States, over 45% of college students are struggling with their mental health, contributing to soaring degree incompletion rates of 39%. College life can be very stressful, with tough academics and social pressures — not to mention the transition into … Read more
Getting good grades. College and job applications. Extra-curricular activities. The list goes on. High school students face pressure every day to do everything and do it well. Because there is so much going on, mental health and wellbeing can often be forgotten until it has an impact on the person’s ability to live their life. … Read more
When Brian Marquez was in high school, he never imagined that his future path would lead him back to those very same classrooms. But that’s exactly what happened. His full circle story is one of inspiration and a deep desire to make a difference. After completing his teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) certification, Marquez … Read more
I first heard about teen Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) late summer of 2018. The National Council was piloting the program across the country. As a manager at North Texas Behavioral Health Authority in Dallas, I was immediately intrigued by the opportunity to get involved. It was refreshing to hear stories about the students who … Read more
Being part of this has been awesome. As a trainer, I get to help people really see the importance of Youth Mental Health First Aid. I am so passionate about this program and I want to be sure that everyone — teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers — has an opportunity to be engaged. Getting … Read more
Our primary goal as educators is to help our kids learn. However, sometimes there may be something going on in their life that interferes with their ability to learn. Youth Mental Health First Aid helps teachers and other school personnel recognize the signs and symptoms of students who may be struggling and get students the … Read more
My district has over 8,000 employees, so you can imagine it was a lot of work to meet the goal of training 80% of them in Youth Mental Health First Aid in one year. But it was 100% worth it. After every training, I would hear from teachers how grateful they were for the opportunity. … Read more
The first day of school is a welcome reprieve for many parents. Juggling childcare, work and summer activities can be flat-out exhausting! But, while parents may look forward to school-year routines, some teachers may have a hard time gearing up to be back in the classroom. Throughout the year, teachers are tasked with setting up … Read more
Our nation has a youth mental health crisis. One in six youth and adolescents will experience a mental health condition in any given time, nearly half of teens (44%) report feeling persistently sad and hopeless and 50% of all mental illnesses begin by age 14. Addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive approach. Mental Health First … Read more
I always thought I knew the best way to have a conversation with people. I have three kids, so I thought I knew how to communicate well. But in 2017, after a colleague and I attended a Youth Mental Health First Aid (Youth MHFA) training. We looked at each other halfway through the training and … Read more
How teenagers manage and use social media is a complicated topic. Sure, social media can be a valuable tool and resource. Many times, it’s where teenagers express themselves, develop their identities and connect with others. But it can also be the source of depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation and other mental health challenges. Major concerns are … Read more
Having a serious conversation about mental health with a young person can be challenging, to say the least. How do you start the conversation? What should you bring up? How much is too much information? Should it even be discussed? The Mental Health First Aid curricula says national studies estimate that 22.2 percent of youth … Read more
*If your child does or says anything that indicates they have a desire to hurt themselves or others, take them seriously. If you feel your child is in danger, call 911, a local mental health crisis hotline or one of the following national crisis resources for immediate assistance: •National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255) •Crisis … Read more
Tobacco use has often been portrayed as harmless, something the “cool” kids do, especially in popular TV shows aimed at teens, like “Skins” and “Euphoria.” But in reality, commercial* tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the U.S. Considering that nearly 90% of adults who smoke daily started … Read more
Everyone faces stressors in life, especially in high school. Things like forgetting to do a school assignment, being late for work, having a messy room or an argument with a family member can build up and contribute to what’s going on in your body and your mind. You might start to put yourself down, take … Read more
As conversations around mental health become more common, it is increasingly important that we consider the mental health of everyone – especially teens. Half of mental health challenges begin by age 14, so it’s crucial to start these conversations early so you can maintain an open dialogue as teenagers mature. Studies show that healthy friendships … Read more
Bullying is not an unfamiliar concept, especially for nearly 20 percent of students aged 12-18. According to the Mental Health First Aid curriculum, one in five American high school students reports being bullied at school each year. In addition, nearly 7 percent of high school students skipped school at least once in the past month … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a devastating toll – especially on our youth. Emerging data suggests that depression and suicide concerns have increased among adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21. Even more alarming, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that suicide rates among children aged 5 to 11 … Read more
In my sophomore year at Bellows Free Academy High School (St. Albans, Vermont), I attended a small conference at nearby St. Michael’s College that focused on the mental wellbeing of student-athletes. I participated in different activities and listened to different speakers, but what stuck with me the most was the final presentation. This was a … Read more
Your children may be excited to return to school after a long summer – or even a year of online classes. However, the new school year can come with new challenges. As a caring adult, parent or guardian, it can be difficult to know how to support children with this stressful and overwhelming transition. In … Read more
It can be hard (or nearly impossible) for some of us to imagine not having our smartphone in our hands or within reach at all times. We rely on our phones for a multitude of things: staying in touch with loved ones, storing memories like photos and videos, online shopping and, of course, social media. … Read more
There is no doubt that the last year and half has been difficult, and the COVID-19 pandemic changed what many of us consider to be “normal.” That’s especially true for schools, which switched to virtual learning almost overnight — an adjustment that was harder for some than others. But now, with three vaccines available in … Read more
Mental health is a very important topic that needs to be talked about more often. Mental health challenges are more prevalent in our society now than ever before. In fact, research shows that almost one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness at any given time. While I have not faced challenges with my mental health, I want to be equipped to be an ally and friend to people around … Read more
Mental health has always been a focus in my life, starting with my own struggles as an adolescent. As such, I was honored when my school district asked me, as a special education teacher and the district wellness coordinator, to become a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Instructor. I had always implemented tools I had gained from personal experience … Read more
In December 2020, I took a Youth Mental Health First Aid class. This training teaches parents, teachers and other adults how to support young people with mental health challenges, including how to use nonjudgmental listening skills and how to approach a young person and encourage them to seek treatment if needed. One of the first things we learned is the difference … Read more
How do you help someone who is struggling? How do you help them without making assumptions about what they are going through, and without making it worse? These are all questions that I learned the answers to during the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) class. tMHFA teaches that teens prefer to tell other teens about what they are going through. This is why it’s important for us to know what to do if confronted with … Read more
Being a teen comes with exciting milestones that double as challenges. For all the highs that come with getting a driver’s license or acing that difficult test, there are lows that come with growing up in a rapidly changing world being shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, social media and distance learning.
COVID-19 is impacting people of all ages across the country, including children and youth. Kids are not attending classes, participating in extracurricular activities, or seeing their friends in the same way they once did — and it’s taking a toll on their emotional and mental well-being. In May, a Gallup Panel poll found 29% of … Read more
Starting a new school year is an exciting time but can also be a stressful one. Preparing for a new grade level, joining a new classroom and making new friends can cause feelings of anxiety and fear. This year adds COVID-19 to the mix, as children and youth face challenges such as physical distancing in … Read more
We often talk about mental health challenges as if they’re only faced by adults. However, youth and young adults also face mental health challenges, and their experiences will be different than adults’. According to the Youth Mental Health First Aid curriculum, approximately 20% of children and youth ages 13-18 face a mental health challenge or … Read more
Our community is experiencing stressors like we haven’t seen in our lifetime. — and we can become stronger as a result. As we collectively grapple to get the pandemic under control right now, here in 2020, understand that we will be seeing ongoing secondary health effects for years to come. One third of Americans are … Read more
“Really, another mental health program?” “We all know none of these make any difference anyways.” These were the common grumbles of my Jefferson High School (JHS) classmates and me as we walked into the library to begin yet another mental health program. However, none of us knew just how big of an impact the teen … Read more
COVID-19 has impacted millions of families across the country. Many of us are now working from home, with our children home and away from school. Your kids may be worried, confused or scared about what is happening around the world and why. It’s important to answer their questions and reassure them that they are safe. … Read more
COVID-19 is impacting everyone in different ways. Children and youth may not be going to school or daycare, can’t see their friends on a regular basis, and might not be able to even play outside. Kids sometimes do not know how to communicate changes in feeling and emotion, making it vital that parents and caregivers … Read more
When our world changes quickly and suddenly because of things like COVID-19, it is common to experience changes in our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Feelings of anxiety, fear or worry are typical in stressful situations. Typical reactions include: Feeling stressed or overwhelmed, frustrated or angry, worried or anxious Feeling restless, agitated, on ‘high alert’ or … Read more
For up to 30 million people in the United States, thoughts and emotions related to body image are distorted and can interfere with a person’s daily life as an eating disorder. And among those with eating disorders, less than a third received treatment for a mental health problem in the past 12 months. But you … Read more
“Young adolescence is a time of both peer influences and appearance being very important, so it’s not hard to see how people this age could become very focused on how they are perceived online.” New research suggests that young people who use social media are more likely to develop an eating disorder. Skipping meals and … Read more
“When researchers followed a group of 496 adolescent girls for 8 years, until they were 20, they found a total of 13.2% of the girls had suffered from a DSM-5 eating disorder by age 20,” according to research published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. In the United States, eating disorders affect up to 30 … Read more
Often, people suffer in silence rather than admit they are struggling and need help. And too often, people turn their backs on those with mental health issues either because they lack insight into what mental health is or they are afraid because of the stigma attached to mental health – they see depression as a … Read more
Eventually we have to ask ourselves, “Why are we afraid of mental health?” As my high school experience came to an end, I found myself in the middle of a revolutionary path toward understanding and normalizing mental health. It is so common to avoid mental health in everyday conversations. It’s treated like something that – … Read more
I wanted to help them. I wanted to say something. But, what could I do? What could I say? When I lost one of my classmates to suicide, I had no clue what to do. Suddenly, so many lives were changed, and I saw my friends and peers start to fall apart. As they grieved … Read more
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call 9-1-1, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text “MHFA” to 741-741 for 24/7 confidential counseling from the Crisis Text Line. Talking about mental health can be hard. It can be hard to admit that you’re not feeling okay, and even … Read more
