At age 16, when Britany was in high school, she began to suffer from anxiety.
“I didn’t want to eat, I didn’t want to leave the house. Everything I liked, I no longer wanted to do. That’s when I said, something is happening to me.”
She says it was her mother who spoke to the school to see how they could help her.
“They put me in some art classes and then I went to talk to a psychologist.”
Britany confides that it was not easy for her mother. I didn’t know what mental health was, an anxiety attack and what stressors add to that.
“Latino dads need more help in Spanish. Yes, there are resources, but there are not enough people to promote them. We only have between 5 or 10% of psychologists who provide services in Spanish.”
From her own experience, she set out on a learning journey to not only educate herself but her family and peers about the help they need for their mental health.
Britany, who is part of the non-profit organization Healing Heartsgraduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree as a psychologist, and wants to be a therapist for children and adolescents experiencing trauma.
She, like other young people, participated in the design of the state campaign Take Space to Pause, focused on the mental health of adolescents between 13 and 17 years old; launched by the Office of Health Equity of the California Department of Public Health as part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, and in partnership with community organizations.
The goal is to reduce stigma around mental health, educate young people about how hotspots occur, and increase positive help-seeking behaviors.
“The pressure of school, managing life as the daughter of immigrants, applying to college and doing everything alone without any help, started to show up when I wanted to go to school.”
Ana Bolaños, deputy director of the Office of Health Equity at the California Department of Public Health, says the campaign is part of the governor’s plan to invest millions of dollars to transform the mental health system for children and youth, because there are not enough programs and therapists.
“It is an educational campaign to tell young people, you are not alone, there are resources, take time to calm down and move on, and recognize how you are feeling.”
The campaign – says Bolaños – distributed scholarships to 28 community organizations focused on different groups in the community, including Latinos.
“We ask parents to talk to their children, when they see that their son or daughter seems different or quieter, talk to them, do not ignore the symptoms.”
And recommend visiting the site taketimetopause.org. where they will find many helpful resources and can make their plan.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) held a youth-led panel discussion and self-care fair in Los Angeles to launch the new state campaign Take Space to Pause created for teenagers and by teenagers.
Dr. Sohil Sudi, director of the Youth and Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative, says we really need to support boys in more equitable and authentic ways.
“As a pediatrician I can say that it has never been more difficult to be a child than it is at this time. The amount of information we throw at them on their screens every day and every second is intense.”
But he also says that he has never seen young people so strong, deep, intelligent and compassionate.
“The message of the campaign is that if you feel that tension is growing, it is okay to take a moment to see what is happening with you and connect with people and resources.”
During the panel, young participants explored the importance of mental health and how it affects young people.
Max from the Department of Public Health’s Youth Collaborative Laboratory says he has been lucky to find spaces to communicate his problems and express what he needs and when he needs it.
“I know that many people are not lucky enough to have those spaces. “That’s why I think educating young people about issues like this is so important so they recognize when they need to take affirmative steps to make changes to their mental health and take control.”
He states that there are definitely a lot of stigmas around mental health, especially around oneself.
“I feel like we’ve definitely opened up a big dialogue in the last few years to talk about mental health, but I think people put pressure on themselves and don’t want to seek out those resources because they don’t want to appear weak.”
He points out that in his community, he has seen that other young men and himself have this mentality where they don’t want to look for the resources they need, because that makes them look weak.
“So I feel like there are a lot of stigmas that people inflict on themselves, and it’s about educating ourselves and knowing what we can do to stop them.”
Britany says it helped her overcome anxiety, explore creative things, and sew.
“It really helps me clear my mind. When I sew, I feel like I’m completely immersed. I can stop thinking about school and focus on all the other things that worry me. This helps me relieve stress.”
And he adds that taking photographs and videos was also really very beneficial.
Why are campaigns like Take Place to Pause important?
Mackenzie, another youth at the CDPH Youth CoLab, said that when she was 14, she started having symptoms of depression and wasn’t sure who to talk to.
“I went to see a high school counselor. Of course, they didn’t give me the resources I needed, and what I wanted was support and comfort. “I ended up looking for psychologists and psychiatrists.”
He says campaigns like Take Space to Pause are extremely important, because they’re trying to prevent you from going over the edge.
“The society we live in today is very stigmatized by mental health. “I would say the Take Space to Pause campaign is there to educate, engage, motivate and protect the health of our young people.”
He adds that it is the best way to support each other, support families and the community in general.
“Youth need to be empowered to control their negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, and create coping skills.”
Eve, another young woman from the CDPH Youth CoLab, says that in California they have realized the need to break the stigma and the importance of mental health.
“In every space I serve, I make sure to talk about my mental health and create a culture out there. The Take Space to Pause campaign is motivating others to do so.”
Recommend the Soluna app to find mental health professionals who won’t judge you when you tell them all your problems.
“It is for people from 13 to 25 years old, and you only put yourself in the speaker and you say, ‘Are you listening to me?'”
Another mental health app they recommended during the panel is Bench which provides a list of things to take care of yourself when people are going through an episode of depression, and it can be for anyone.
Madeline Little Tokyo Service Center He says he just hosted an event at his school that made hundreds of students feel more comfortable talking about mental health and suicide.
“Suicide prevention is extremely important for our youth because when you start talking, someone is going to listen.”
Data shows that rates of mental health problems in adolescents are increasing at an alarming rate, disproportionately affecting populations such as Blacks and African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Native Americans, and LGBTQ people, making making equitable access to mental health resources a critical health priority for Californians.