Don’t Rely on Luck: Protect Your Teen’s Mental Health
Every day, whether through face-to-face interactions or podcast conversations, I have the privilege of speaking to hundreds, even thousands, of adults about the reason A Brighter Day Charity exists and the positive impact we are having on families. Our resources on stress and depression for teens and their families, with the ultimate goal of preventing […]
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Don’t Become a Statistic!
I am called a “survivor.” My son, Jake, took his life at age 19 by jumping in front of an oncoming truck on a Montana Interstate. Absolutely horrible and our lives will never be the same. Was he on drugs or alcohol? No. Was he on anti-depressant medication? No. Did he share his feelings with […]
It’s Back to School For Your Teens. Are You Ready For Their Anxiety?
Has this felt like the shortest summer on record for your teen? School begins in just a few days almost everywhere. It was only a few years ago that school systems decided to move the starting date of high school from the day after Labor Day to late August, to now the 2nd week of August. […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Are You Ready?
According to US News and World Report, teen suicide is up 4.5-fold (450%) in the last decade, with the bulk of the increase in the last three years.Covid lockdowns and social malfunction have been the new fuel on the depression fire. National data has given us alarming and awful statistics about how our teens are […]
Mask Mandates and Teen Mental Health: What to Look Out For
We are just finishing out a record high year for teen suicide rates, teen stress, and teen depression. Adolescents aged 12-17 years old had the highest rate of major depressive episodes this year, followed by young adults 18 to 25 years old. With these numbers, virtually every teen knows someone close to them who is experiencing […]
Why do people cut themselves? Understanding teen self-harm
Many teens struggle with anxiety and depression. Some turn to self-harm to deal with their intense feelings. Self-harm and self-injury describe a group of behaviors in which you deliberately hurt yourself — not as a suicide attempt, but as a way to release painful emotions. Cutting is one of the most common ways that teens […]
Reducing the Risk of Teen Suicide (for Parents)
Suicide is the act of intentionally taking your own life. Sadly, it’s among the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 24. Thinking about suicide, also known as suicidal […]
When to Get Help for Depression
Everyone feels sad every now and then. And sometimes, it can be unclear whether you have depression or a different ailment. For instance, one common misconception is that depression is simply a state of mind. However, many people experience debilitating physical symptoms, like chest pain and brain fog. That being said, how are you supposed […]
Depression Symptoms in Guys vs. Girls
“You’re a teenager. That’s normal.” “It’s just a phase.” “You’ll grow out of it.” A lot of parents might pass off their teen’s symptoms of depression as a phase, or they may assume that it’s a normal part of development. After all, the majority of adults can recall experiencing dark thoughts or periods of sadness […]
