Teens Under Pressure

“Just try it, everyone does it, it’s not even that bad.”
“Hurry up and just take it, no one is looking.”
“She’s such a prude, don’t even try getting to know her.”
“That new kid is a loser, no one likes him.”

The pressure to fit in, to be liked and respected, and to be accepted by peers is a very normal human experience.  While much of the pressure our children and teens face is explicit (like the examples above), they can also feel pressure by just watching or knowing that peers are engaging in behaviors that they are not. For example, knowing that all their friends have snapchat and they are not yet allowed to download that app can feel like pressure to a teen.

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A Guide to Social Anxiety for Gen Z

Members of Generation Z include people who were born between 1995 and 2010. Sandwiched between Millennials and Generation Alpha, Gen Z individuals are growing up in a time of uncertainty and stress. This generation is also significantly more likely than other generations to report negative mental health according to a recent survey by the APA. One of the major types of mental health struggles that Gen Z is having a hard time with is Social Anxiety.

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Climate Change and Your Mental Health

Climate change is not only causing a substantial impact to the planet’s health; there is also believed to be a significant impact to our mental health. History has shown us that natural disasters have harmful effects on health and mental health. Rising temperatures, heat waves, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, fires, loss of forests and glaciers, have been shown to directly and indirectly impact physical and mental health.

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The Grief We Feel

Grief is typically associated with the death of a loved one, but it can follow any type of loss. Researchers have spent decades studying different types of loss and one term that is resonating with a lot of people right now is called collective grief.

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Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are continuing our theme of providing education and resources for anyone who is impacted. Which is a lot of us considering recent data suggests that over 50% of Americans will experience mental health problems at some point in their lifetime. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Youth depression rates have doubled since 2012. And mental illness affects people of any age, race, sex, religion, or income.

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