Appetite and Anxiety

The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

Everyone deals with their stress and anxiety in their own way and can often have complete opposite reactions. This can include sleeping too much or sleeping too little, working harder or becoming unmotivated or wanting to be alone or be with others constantly. Continue reading Appetite and Anxiety

Conquering a Fear

The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

I used to be a fearless driver. In high school, I was the friend who picked everyone up and drove us to wherever we wanted to go. I would frequently drive hours in different areas of the state or surrounding states to visit friends and just explore. I loved driving and it was where I felt the most calm. Continue reading Conquering a Fear

Using Upbeat Music to Feel Better

It can be easy to put on music that matches your mood when you’re not feeling your best. The best way to describe it is by thinking of the phrase “misery loves company,” or that having something (or someone) that feels just as bad as you are makes you feel slightly less alone. Every now and then, we just want songs to wallow in that we can relate to, whether it be about heartbreak, loneliness, sadness, or a combination of all three, or anything else on top of that.  Continue reading Using Upbeat Music to Feel Better

Finding a Therapist who Relates to You

The mental health profession, unfortunately, lacks diversity. The American Psychological Association found that 86% of practitioners are white, with other races making up less than 5% each. In a nation that continues to not just get more diverse, but is also becoming more open in talking about mental health, it’s important for people of color to not just find, but have access to therapists who look like them (you can read more about the topic here). Continue reading Finding a Therapist who Relates to You

Helping Online Friends

Although social media as an effect on how we don’t communicate as frequently face-to-face and in real life, this doesn’t mean that friendships are dwindling. The Internet has made the world feel smaller, and in just seconds, you can meet peers around the world who share interests or have the same concerns that you do, and the more you talk, the more you realize that you may have more in common and that they can be a great means of support. Continue reading Helping Online Friends

The Importance of Hobbies in Dealing With Anxiety

The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

As the new year (and decade) started hitting, like most others, I began to reflect on 2019 – what went well, what didn’t, what I accomplished, and what I want to improve. And in talking with my therapist recently, I’ve decided the big overarching thing in my life that I want to improve is my anxiety. Continue reading The Importance of Hobbies in Dealing With Anxiety

An App to Consider: Happify

There are a ton of apps available that do center around mental health and well-being (and we’ve definitely talked about a few of them before), but Happify takes on a collaborative approach. The app was designed by scientists, researchers, healthcare clinicians, and digital and gaming experts to make something beneficial, evidence-based, and enjoyable. Continue reading An App to Consider: Happify

How Social Media Can Provide Resources for Mental Health Information

We use the Internet to learn about, essentially, everything. All it takes is opening up the browser app of your choice or opening up a new tab, googling whatever you’re interested in, and immediately getting hundreds upon thousands upon millions of results. This can be, without a doubt, overwhelming. There’s so much information to parse through and consider, and sometimes, you may find yourself going to social media sites you’re comfortable and familiar with and do the research there. Continue reading How Social Media Can Provide Resources for Mental Health Information

Theater and Mental Health

The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

Being part of a close-knit cast and crew on a theatrical production has helped me to cope with mental illness, but it had some drawbacks too. Perhaps this premise isn’t accessible to some people, but I feel like the ideas I lay out here can be extended to any group of people who work as a team. Continue reading Theater and Mental Health