Navigating your mental health journey can be overwhelming. This webpage was created in collaboration with teens from our JCC Teen Mental Health Committee to help provide resources and content that is useful and meaningful to youth. We hope it’s useful for you!
By Maia Weissman
Recently, I learned that part of maintaining my mental health is allowing for self-care and being ok with asking for help when I need it. I’ve always been a good student. But when I got to high school, everything changed. Suddenly, a half hour of schoolwork on some nights turned into upwards of two hours every night. Eventually, I began to lose motivation. I stopped studying and I stopped doing my homework and I ended up even more stressed out than before. Finally, I realized that I had no other option but to ask for help.
Helps you create positive habits and self-care routines iOS | Android
Talkspace
Connects you to a wide network of mental health professionals. iOS | Android
Happify
Science-backed games that help reduce stress, build resilience, and overcome negative thoughts. iOS | Android
Teen Talk
Free and anonymous support from trained teen advisors iOS | Android | Learn More
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She Persisted Podcast
THE teen mental health podcast—made for teens, by a teen. Listen
Your Life Sucks Podcast
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The Wellness Spot
Daily Strategies to Support Your Mental Health
Supporting your mental health means finding balance in key areas of your life including your physical health, social experiences, commitment to school and extracurriculars, and emotional wellbeing. Here are some daily strategies to support your overall mental health.
What
Why
How
Physical Health
Get regular exercise
Releases feel-good endorphins and serotonin that improve your overall mood
Take a brisk 20-minute walk
Go up and down your stairs 2x when you go to get something
Eat a balanced diet
Delivers energy slowly and keeps your sugar levels steady
Eat at least 3 meals a day with a variety of fresh produce, protein, whole grains, and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil)
Choose healthy snacks such as vegetables and fruits, or baked snacks instead of fried
Drink plenty of water instead of soft drinks, sugary juices, or sports drinks
Sleep 9-10 hours a night
Teens need a lot of sleep! Sleeping restores the brain through a process of pruning (getting rid of unused information) and myelination (improving the coordination and speed of the brain), which strengthen the pre-frontal cortex (area of the brain responsible for focus, organization, controlling impulses, regulating emotions)
Engage in relaxing things like taking a bath, listening to music, or reading a book about an hour before bed
Have a regular bedtime and wake time during the week and weekends
Screens can affect our brain’s ability to sleep, so turn of phones and laptops an hour before bed
Social Experiences
Engage in healthy habits with social media
Social media is a great way to connect with people, learn new skills, and stay informed. However, spending more than 3 hours on social media per day increases your risk for mental health problems
Use the “do not disturb” function when you need to focus on other activities
Follow people and pages that bring you joy
Think before you post (Is it true/kind, would you say it in person? Will you feel good about it tomorrow?)
Stay connected with positive relationships, resist the urge to isolate.
Isolation is linked to poor sleep, suicidal thoughts, difficulty paying attention, and increased stress
Volunteer with community organizations
Surround yourself with people that are supportive, and you trust
Establish boundaries
Healthy relationships decrease stress and actually leads to a longer life
Say no to things that make you uncomfortable
Know that you are not responsible for other’s emotions
School & Extracurricular
Create school/life balance
Establishing a good school/life balance helps to conserve your emotional energy and boosts self-esteem
Decide what is a manageable workload, you don’t have to take every AP class
Schedule time for self-care
Get Organized
Being organized decreases feelings of stress and anxiety and improves focus and productivity
Use a planner or app to keep track of schoolwork and deadlines
Break big projects into parts
Clean out your backpack every few days
Emotional Wellbeing
Identify and practice coping strategies that work for you such as mindfulness, deep breathing, listening to music, or reading positive affirmations (even if they make you uncomfortable)
Mindfulness promotes positive change in the brain pathways involved in stress, focus and attention, memory, and mood
Slow breaths increase the amount of oxygen in the brain, releasing a sense of calm in the body
Music is linked to lowering the levels of cortisol (stress hormone)
Positive affirmations activate the reward centers of the brain
Acknowledge and accept all feelings “I feel anxious and that is okay”
Breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, breathe out for 3 seconds
Listen to our teen curated playlists on this webpage
Find a personal mantra “I am enough”
Spend time outdoors
Nature generates positive emotions such as calmness, joy, and creativity
Schedule outdoor time into your daily routine
Take a phone call while going for a walk
Interact with animals
Animals decrease cortisol and blood pressure
Volunteer at a shelter
Walk a neighbor’s dog
Go to a dog park
Seek help from a professional, you do not need to be in crisis to get help
About 75% of people who engage in therapy see benefits in their overall functioning
Ask your parents or school counselor to help you find a therapist
Look at the resource section on this webpage for referrals
Mindful Moment
Did you know that simple things like smiling have been proven to activate tiny molecules in your brain that are designed to fight off stress? Small things can have a big impact! Try this mindful exercise to give your brain a little boost!
Breathing slowly helps to trick our brain into thinking we’re calm. But a lot of times people take short shallow breaths when they’re upset, which makes us feel more disregulated. Shape breathing can help slow us down and tracing a shape lets our brain focus on something else. Practicing this activity when you are calm is important, so you’re more likely to do it when stressed.
Staff Self-Care Favorites
Take a moment and try one of these calming and relaxing strategies hand-picked by our JCC Chicago staff. Practice self-care daily to improve your mood and manage stress.
For me, maintaining my mental health is an ongoing process. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s particularly difficult. When I feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety, I like to take out my notes app on my phone and have a stream of consciousness journaling session. This helps me take whatever is going on in my head and make it real by describing my feelings and emotions in as many words as I need to. I also like to make a list of everything that I can control directly so I can focus on those things and not let the uncontrollable factors control me. These simple things allow me to be able to wrap my head around what I’m thinking about and that gives me the ability to take a step back and view the situation from a broader perspective. I also make it a point to take time for myself and enjoy my favorite hobbies and see my friends. Having a good work/life balance is crucial to both your personal success and professional success because if you are too invested in one area, the other is lacking.
Sam Bolen Teen Engagement Coordinator, JCC Chicago
Finding Help & Resources
Finding Help & Resources
Remember mental health IS health and you need to care for it just like your physical health.
Some things to consider:
You don’t have to wait for a crisis to get support. Asking for help can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t want to talk with your parents about it.
Talking with a school counselor or social worker can be a great place to start and they don’t necessarily have to tell your parents.
Did you know that there is a law that allows youth under the age of 18 to attend eight counseling sessions without parental consent? Mental Health Law for Minors
FREE 24/7 Crisis Hotlines
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 988
Crisis Textline
Text HOME to 741741
The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ youth) Call 866-488-7386 or text START to 678678 www.thetrevorproject.org
Individual and Group Counseling
These organizations may ask for your insurance information and may charge for counseling services.
NAMI Helpline: (833) 626-4244 Call for yourself or others to get connected to the right mental health and social service resources. Monday through Friday 9am – 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 9am – 5pm www.namichicago.org/helpline
Just Have A Question?
Ask questions ANONYMOUSLY about mental health, relationships, academic pressures and more and Sam Savin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at JCC Chicago, will answer all appropriate questions on Instagram and on the Ask an Expert webpage.
Please Note: The contents of this webpage are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a mental health professional or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your condition. Links to other websites or resources do not constitute an endorsement of these sites or services. In the event of an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or having suicidal thoughts, text or dial 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
By Maia Weissman
MindDoc
Calm
I Love Hue
Happy Color
Fabulous
Talkspace
Happify
Teen Talk
Your Life Sucks Podcast
Just Have A Question?
