Newsletter MADD Teen Influencer May 2023: Mental Health Awareness Month
Feeling Bright
Mental Health Encouragement
Riley's Recommendations Riley shares her 10 tips to help improve your mental health!
Danielle's message to readers, with positive graphics, for when you need a reminder that everything will be ok.
Hear Kelly's take on the best activites to improve your mental health this May.
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Feeling Bright
by Danielle Gonzales, MADD Teen Influencer
Knowing that it's currently Mental Health Awareness month, I want to let you know how important you are. There will always be times when we will struggle. We may not want these obstacles in our lives, yet they exist to help us become stronger for the future. Here are some little notes you can keep in case life doesn't turn out how you want it to. Also, as a current senior in high school, I easily get overwhelmed with how much is on my shoulders. Thus, I like to keep these little notes to keep my head up. There are also some YouTube videos I use whenever I feel the need to take a break and breathe. Click the graphic to the right to check them out.
I believe in you and you should too! Even if the world may go against you, we are here for you.
MADD Teen Influencer
May 2023
Improve Your Mental Health 2
Alcohol Versus Mindfulness: Tips to
By Kelly Halliburton, Newsletter Chair
Mental wellness among youth in America has been on a steady decline. With constant access to misinformation and increased societal pressures, many begin to turn to drug/alcohol use as a coping mechanism. This leads to a worsened mental state and other varying consequences.
On the contrary, teenagers can find peace of mind in beneficial ways. Meditation, grounding techniques, and exercise can become lifelong habits! Here are several ways to improve your mental health and raise awareness for others: Firstly, reading is a great way to “lose yourself” in the exciting worlds of fiction, poetry, et cetera. This activity has been proven to reduce stress by 68% in a study by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex. Instead of turning to drugs/alcohol as a way to temporarily “decrease” stress, reading is much more beneficial.
Nominate an Influencer of the Month! Do you know an influential teen who is a great role model? We would love to spotlight them! Click on the icon to the left or use the link below to share why they should be MADD's Influencer of the Month!
TINYURL.COM/MADDIOTM
MADD Teen Influencer
May 2023
Swimming is another outdoor activity that is perfect for the upcoming summer. It is a haven from the blazing heat, and is optimal for your physical health. Community and private pools, whether at your local gym or house, are usually available. Being active throughout summer will improve your mental health and sharpen your resilience. Dive in! Staying safe on social media is another factor to consider when protecting (and improving) your mental health. With the rise of technology, cyberbullying and peer pressure have increased beyond school campuses. Taking breaks from screen usage can help mitigate against the negative effects of the Internet, while freeing time to study and exercise. Not all activities are enough to treat mental health challenges. Finding a therapist or talking to loved ones
is recommended if your mental state worsens. There is always hope. Here are helpful resources to access:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 MADD Victim Helpline (for drunk and drugged driving crises): 1-877-623- 3435
Know that you are always loved and help is available.
Ask A Teen Influencer Looking for some advice? Each month our MADD Teen Influencers will offer helpful tips based on questions submitted by other teens. You can submit questions anonymously with the link below or by clicking on the icon to the left. TINYURL.COM/MADDTEENADVICE
MADD Teen Influencer
May 2023
by Riley Ramirez, MADD Teen Influencer 3
10 Tips and Tricks for Your Mental Health
Journaling! it may seem like so much work to write every little thought that you have every single day, and that’s totally okay ! you don’t have to write every little thing down every single day. in my journal, for example, i write things like “ I did well on my math test” or “ It’s been a pretty rough day, but i’ll get through it!" way. For example. this can mean going on walks in the morning or journaling your thoughts. If you don’t know how to boost your mental health, here are 10 tips and tricks that can help improve your mental health. 1. 2. Go on a mindfulness walk! Whether it’s in your neighborhood or at the beach, walks can be very relaxing and calming to our everflowing thoughts. 3. Just breathe! You think, “That’s such a little thing to do, how will that help?” Yes, it may be a small thing to do, but even the smallest things can have the biggest impact. 4. Take a nap! Naps have been shown to help increase our mood and overall performance! When it comes to your mental health and well-being, it’s very important to make sure you manage it in a healthy
5. Read! Reading can help release stress as well as improve sleep and concentration! 6. Affirmations! Affirmations are a little part of my everyday morning and night routine that help me feel good about myself. some affirmations I live by: “I do not worry about what is out of my control,” and “I am a magnet for success."
MADD Teen Influencer
May 2023
7. Do something that makes you happy! This one I cannot stress enough. doing things that make you happy, whether it’s a hobby like reading, or playing a sport, help release “happy hormones” that allow us to feel pleasure and reward within ourselves. 8. Clean! I notice that when I am feeling down or stressed, cleaning something seems to help take my mind off things. whether you clean something small, like your bed or drawers, or something big, like your room or closet, cleaning can help us feel productive and good within our safe space. 9. Create something ! it doesn’t even have to be big or fancy, like an oil painting or a clay sculpture, it can be as simple as a small doodle or small painting. Creativity can help us feel accomplished and boost our self-esteem!
10. And finally, have a self-care day! Personally, I have one self-care day a week, usually on Sundays, where I sleep in, go on a walk, declutter my area, exercise, read, work towards a goal, do a facemask, and treat myself, whether that’s going out for ice cream, watching comfort movies (for me, anything scary!), or both! Whatever you do on your self- care is what makes you feel good about yourself and helps you really reset.
MADD's mission is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking. The purpose of the Teen Influencer Group is to provide leadership development for teens by training them to be peer-to-peer educators. These teens provide MADD with the youth perspective and use their voice to educate the public. By reducing and then eliminating underage drinking, these teens will help MADD end drunk driving.
@MADDCalifornia
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