Teens

What is Life Like After a Mass Shooting? Parkland’s Lizzie Eaton Shares Her Mental Health Story

Author By Lizzie Eaton
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Lizzie Eaton

As time passed, I kept squeezing more and more into my hiding spot thinking that I could be next. Despite the news and confirmation of what was happening, I could not wrap my mind around the reality.

As the story kept updating, the number of casualties went up and up. I couldn’t fathom that my friends were getting shot, that there were videos of bodies on the floor flooding social media. I just kept thinking this could not be real. While I waited in my classroom, I sat not knowing if I would be the next victim, if my friends were hurt, or if I would ever see my family again.

You never think it will happen at your school, in your community, to you and your friends. And then it does. Continue reading What is Life Like After a Mass Shooting? Parkland’s Lizzie Eaton Shares Her Mental Health Story

Is Your “Situationship” Harming Your Mental Health?

Author By Kelsey Gillhooley
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young guy hugging young girl

More than friends but less than a relationship, we’ve seen it time and again in our own lives and in pop culture. A fictional “situationship” from one of my favorite movies — Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher in No Strings Attached — instantly comes to my mind when I think of this topic. The storyline of the movie (highly recommend if you haven’t yet seen it), takes you through a friendship that becomes more than just friends, but then not exactly your typical monogamous relationship either. The movie ends in (spoiler alert) the two falling in love and living happily ever after.

Unfortunately, reality is hardly ever like it is in the movies.

Continue reading Is Your “Situationship” Harming Your Mental Health?

What Is The Relationship Between Hormones and Anxiety?

Author By Jamie Wiebe, Contributor
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two women faces next to each other

If you’ve ever felt confused by spiking anxiety shortly before your period begins, don’t worry: You’re not alone. Our hormones directly affect our anxiety levels. And it’s not just progesterone — a number of hormones can influence how stressed you’re feeling on any particular day, regardless of whether you have a uterus or not.

Here’s the rundown of the wild world of hormones inside our body — and info about how they can increase (or help!) your anxiety. Continue reading What Is The Relationship Between Hormones and Anxiety?

What I Wish I Knew About College as a Freshman

Author By Kelsey Gillhooley
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girl walking on college campus

Eerie, foggy, dark walks home from the library, the thought of them still gives me chills. Not only because it’s insanely cold in Michigan, but because I remember how anxious, sad, and lonely those walks could be back to my (even spookier) freshman year dorm room.

The Sunday Scaries haunted me many nights of college, not just on Sundays. Most of the time these “scaries” weren’t about anything in particular, but a side effect of how drastically different my life was, and how uncertain everything seemed.

Although college can be an incredible experience, the massive transitions, personal growth, and lifestyle changes can be impactful to your mental health. By my senior year, there were a few things I wish I had realized sooner in my college experience. Here is what I wish I knew, including stress, anxiety, coursework, my social life, and friendships. Continue reading What I Wish I Knew About College as a Freshman

Mental Health Safety Tips for Your College Teen

Author By Wendy Wisner, Contributor
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mother kissing daughter's face

Transitioning to college can be one of the most emotionally jarring, vulnerable moments in a young person’s life.

They are suddenly away from all they have ever known or are familiar with, and must navigate this new landscape virtually on their own. Seemingly overnight, college students become responsible for everything from waking themselves up for class, to managing their money, to dealing with sometimes dicey social situations. Continue reading Mental Health Safety Tips for Your College Teen

College Mental Health Resources You Need to Know

Author By Ashley Laderer, Contributor
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student walking in fog with backpack

Whether you’re going to college for the first time or going back to school after a long summer break, the transition can be extremely stress inducing. This shake up can cause symptoms of anxiety or depression, whether or not you have a preexisting mental health condition.

It’s totally normal to experience mixed emotions and stress when the start of a new semester rolls around.You don’t have to let these emotions take control and get in the way of you having a great time at school. The good news is, there are plenty of resources if you’re struggling, or if you need to help a friend who’s in a rough place. All you have to do is know where to go or who to call when you need help. Continue reading College Mental Health Resources You Need to Know

5 Tips to Tackle the Transition to College

Author By Ashley Laderer, Contributor
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students walking on path

Change isn’t always easy. Transitioning from high school to college is one of the biggest transitions a young adult goes through, and it can come along with a lot of challenges. Whether you’re continuing to live at home and going to a local community college or moving across the country to a far away university, you’ll still be dealing with some of the same challenges that come along with starting this new chapter of life. Continue reading 5 Tips to Tackle the Transition to College

7 Tips for Dealing With the Anxiety of Making New Friends in College

Author By Ashley Laderer, Contributor
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group of friends sitting on grass

Friends are a huge part of what makes college fun. Some of your favorite memories in college will probably involve the friends you’ve made there. After all, school is about so much more than just going to class and doing well on exams. When you’re starting your first semester, it can be overwhelming to think about creating a bunch of new connections and forming a new group of friends. Socializing and making friends comes easily to some people, but for others, it can be anxiety inducing. Continue reading 7 Tips for Dealing With the Anxiety of Making New Friends in College

Why Aren’t College Students Getting The Mental Health Support They Need?

Author By Elizabeth Su, Contributor
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college student with backpack walking out the door of a building

It was around 10pm when I got a knock on my freshman college dorm room. I probably had been up since 8am studying, squirreled away for most of the day in my favorite cubicle on the no-talking floor in the library. 12-hour study days were the norm for me. Monday through Sunday. No days off.

I heard the knock again and got up from my scratchy desk chair to open the door. My best friend from school was there, holding an Oreo cake in his hands.

“Come on,” he said, peeling me away from my textbooks. “It’s time to eat cake!”

It was my 18th birthday. Continue reading Why Aren’t College Students Getting The Mental Health Support They Need?