On the Conversation of Mental Health
Hearing from two organization– ‘Just a Teen’ and ‘Let’s Talk’
An initiative that enables teenagers to speak up about their stories
What is the aim of ‘Just a Teen’?
“We aim to create a community for every child suffering from any social or mental trauma; spread awareness of negatively impacting addictions; and overall spread the idea of a positive living environment for the well-being of every teenager and their families. Our goal is simply to help teenagers believe and love themselves, and look forward to their lives that have just begun.”
Is the organisation doing anything in specific as a response to the pandemic, and its effect on teenagers?
“Around the world, as cities have gone into a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the mass efforts to save lives have put vulnerable groups of teenagers more at risk. With social restrictions and school, children are dealing with feelings of anxiety, with many at risk of lasting psychological distress, including depression. Nationwide lockdowns are leaving a negative impact on the youth who are already at risks—such as those living in challenging home environments; children who are lacking social support; or whose families are already facing poverty are especially vulnerable. To help and support teenagers during these tough times of world health emergencies, Just A Teen would like to extend a supporting hand to combat the uncountable emotions, thoughts and feelings inside a teenagers mind and heart by creating a community of support.
Hence, introducing the theme of a Hidden Pandemic. Feel free to share your stories with us at www.justateen.org or email us at justateen.speakupnow@gmail.com, as your story matters.”
‘Let’s Talk’ is an initiative started by teenagers of Bangalore, that aims to create mental health awareness, destigmatize mental illnesses and provide a support system for youth.
“The Covid-19 pandemic poses a wide range of problems regarding mental health. Social distancing and physical isolation could evoke feelings of loneliness and depression. For those stuck in unhealthy households, the constant proximity to toxicity could lead to a deteriorating mental health. Moreover, the stress and anxiety over the pandemic and fear for loved ones can be quite overwhelming.
That’s why it is essential that we take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. This could be done through a variety of activities such as exercise, painting, journaling, playing an instrument and spending time with family. It’s also important to make it a point to check in with the people we care about. Right now, more than ever, we need to support one another and be kind to ourselves.
Currently, we are planning to organise webinars on mental health during the pandemic. We’re also using social media and as can be seen on our Instagram page, our volunteers are making videos on how to cope through this situation.”
Some of these videos include the benefits of music during quarantine, and how to ‘self-care’
Instagram - @lets.talk._
