SOVA Blog

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Asking questions about your health

April 26, 2024 in Educate Yourself

Being a young person is full of changes, and some of these changes may lead you to having questions about your health.

You might wonder whether the things you’re feeling, thinking or experiencing physically are normal.  Oftentimes to get answers to the questions we have, we search the Internet.  It’s nice because it’s so convenient and fast.  Also you don’t have to share with anyone what you’re looking up – so no embarrassment! Right?

But do you really find the answers you’re looking for?  Here’s an example of when using the Internet to look for answers can go wrong. Let’s say you feel a lump on your neck.  Maybe there was a Dr. Oz episode about diagnosing tumors early.  You begin to wonder if it’s a tumor. You look it up online and see all kinds of possible scary cancers!  Keeping these thoughts and online research to yourself can make you really stressed!  The fortunate truth is most young people who find a lump on their neck will not have cancer.  So how do you get your health questions answered accurately without getting stressed out?

Photo Credit: irfanherdyato Flickr via Compfight cc

You should know that a trusted adult can be more helpful – they most likely have had similar experiences and can help you think it through – and if they don’t know the answer, you can always talk to your doctor or a health professional. Here’s some advice about how to talk to adults about your health!

Also as teenagers get older, it can be important to begin having some independence in regards to your health.  Try talking to your parents about becoming more independent during your doctor visits.  Listed below are a few steps from the University of Michigan on how teenagers can become more independent during their checkups:

  • Before an appointment write down any health problems or questions you have.
  • Upon arriving at a doctor’s visit, check yourself in at the registration desk and complete the forms to the best of your ability.
  • During the visit, speak with your doctor directly and ask any questions.
  • Ask for time alone with the doctor without your parent in the room.

Do you have any other suggestions or stories about talking to a trusted adult or medical professional about your health or about becoming more health independent?  We would love to hear!

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Coping With Burnout

April 23, 2024 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself, LINKS

School, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, and work obligations: many young people are juggling a lot at once. Often burnout is discussed when talking about demanding careers, but the burnout teenage students experience is left out of the conversation. We talk about “self-care” often but it is not always practiced. This can lead to burnout, the feeling of being physically and mentally exhausted. Burnout tends to creep up unexpectedly, but knowing what to look for can help us cope. What can we do to prevent and cope with burnout?

Recognizing Burnout:

Knowing what to look for is an important step in reducing burnout. Have you ever felt exhausted, easily overwhelmed, and under-motivated? You might notice changes in your sleep and eating patterns, or maybe you are experiencing frequent headaches and stomach aches. These things can be signs of burnout. Instead of pushing them off to the side, acknowledge that you might be experiencing burnout.

How do we cope with burnout?

  1. Prioritize self-care. When we hear about self-care sometimes that looks like wearing a face mask, watching your favorite movie, or taking a bubble bath. While these activities may be calming, when it comes to reducing burnout we need to focus on our physical and mental health needs as well. This includes making sure you are eating nourishing meals, getting enough sleep, spending some time exercising or getting in some type of movement, and practicing mindfulness. You don’t have to do it all at once- try picking one or two self-care goals to practice at a time until they become part of your routine.
  2. Set boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say no if you need to! While it is tempting to say yes to every invite you receive it’s important to know when it is time to say no to work, school, or social commitments.
  3. Take breaks. When we are busy, we sometimes forget to take breaks. When we have many tasks on our to do list it feels easy to work through the entire list at once, but this can lead to burnout. Try taking a ten minute walk as a short ‘study break’ and make it a priority no to work through your lunch breaks.
  4. Ask for help. If you feel overwhelmed with everything on your plate, reach out for help. When you are overwhelmed with schoolwork, ask a trusted teacher for assistance. If you are working more hours than you can handle, let your boss know you need to change your schedule. Asking for help before the burnout occurs will help you with productivity!
  5. Find time for the things that bring you joy. This goes along with self-care but refers more to the time you take for your hobbies and the things that fill your cup, so to speak. If you are introverted this may be a solo activity that recharges you. If you are an extrovert this may look like going out with friends or family. Whatever it is, find time to replenish your energy.

Burnout is tough, but when you know what to look for and how to cope, it is manageable. Remember to ask for help, take time or yourself, and remind yourself that you are doing your best.

Have you experienced burnout? What has helped you manage burnout in your life?

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Exploring Therapy: Finding What Works

April 19, 2024 in Educate Yourself, LINKS

Facing the ups and downs of life can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster ride. School stress, social pressure, and conflict at home can make you feel overwhelmed. A therapist can support you in navigating life’s ups and downs. Because of the media portrayal you might picture a therapist talking to a client sitting across from them on a couch. Or maybe you picture a physical therapist working with a physical injury. Did you know there are many types of mental health therapy too? If you feel like therapy has not worked in the past for you, consider a few different approaches to mental health therapy. Once you find what works for you, the outcome will be worth the trial and error!

Here are five alternative types of therapy you can explore!

  1. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT focuses on giving you a toolbox full of skills that can help you manage your emotions and cope with life’s challenges. However, DBT does not primarily focus on the past. instead focusing on managing present emotions and life stress. DBT teaches skills that fall into four different categories. Mindfulness teaches skills to help us stay present at the moment, emotion regulation gives us tools to manage big feelings and emotions, distress tolerance skills support us in dealing with tough situations and interpersonal effectiveness skills help us communicate effectively with the people in our lives. DBT is traditionally part of a program consisting of a group skills meeting and individual therapy, but any trained therapist can teach you the skills.
  2. Mindfulness-Based Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on helping a client stay present in the moment and develop self-awareness. This is generally done through the practice of mindfulness techniques including meditation and deep breathing to help you manage your stress and anxiety.
  3. Art Therapy: Art therapy is a creative approach that anyone can try! This type of therapy uses creative activities like drawing, painting, and sculpting to help clients work through their emotions. The best part is you do not have to be an artist to benefit!
  4. Family Therapy: If your main stressor is conflict at home, family therapy can help! Family therapy brings everyone together to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and work through conflict. The therapist will be a support and mediator to make sure every family is respectful and has a chance to then share their feelings.
  5. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Imagine your brain as a filing cabinet that stores memories. As memories get stuck, they continue to replay. If it’s a happy memory, it might not be an issue. However, if this memory is traumatic this replay can cause pain and anxiety. EMDR helps clients while they process memories and restore them in a way that causes less anxiety. While thinking of a painful memory, you will focus on a therapist’s hand movements, sounds, taps, or a light. As a result of this technique, your brain stores this memory in a way that reduces its intensity. It may sound silly, but research shows that it is an effective therapeutic approach.

Remember that there is not one type of therapy that fits every individual. It may take a few tries to find a therapist that works for you. There is no issue too small for therapy if it is causing you any stress or pain. Stay strong, stay curious, and remember you are not alone!

Do you have any experience with the types of therapy above? Is there another type of therapy that works for you? Let us know in the comments!

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Grieving an Unfollow

April 17, 2024 in Social Media Guide

That may sound a tad overdramatic, but if you’ve ever logged onto one of your social media accounts and have seen even just one fewer follower, you likely have had a million questions begin running through your head: 

Who was it?

Was it because of a recent post? 

Was it because they were annoyed with my entire account?

Should I also unfollow them?

Are other people going to unfollow me too?

These questions are completely natural to have. But for those who have symptoms of social anxiety, these questions can feel that much more daunting and can even be debilitating as they question not just why one person stopped following them, but if others will too. This kind of snowball thinking can have them question if they need to change their content, if they should post more or less, and so on.

Even those who find themselves overanalyzing and getting caught up in an unfollow may feel that this seems a little silly. But in an age where social media is an incredibly common form of communication and way to connect with others, it’s okay to feel upset, and even worried that this is some sort of marker for your relationship with someone. Many platforms have ways to track your followers too, which doesn’t help with these anxieties.

Obviously not all unfollows are treated the same either. If you do choose to find out who unfollowed you, and it’s someone you either don’t know or barely know, it shouldn’t be an unfollow worth missing. This person’s opinion shouldn’t matter to you, because you don’t have any sort of significant relationship with them. If they’re someone you wouldn’t want to have a long conversation with online or offline, pay them no mind. If it’s someone you consider yourself closer with however, it’s really up to you to question why they might have done so. Depending on the relationship, you might feel comfortable just bluntly asking them, but you might have to be prepared to have a conversation about the content you post or about your relationship as a whole. On the other hand, it might not even be that significant and may have even been a mistake! 

Navigating relationships is always difficult and stressful, and social media adds a whole new layer to it. Overall, unfollowing, “breaking the mutual,” and a decrease in statistics should have little to no impact on you and how you view yourself, but social anxiety can make it seem much more important than it actually is. Unfollows from people you do care about can understandably make you upset, but it can lead to a conversation that may need to be had about where you two stand with each other and can come out stronger. In the end however, social media is not real life and should not define your relationships with someone, as easy as it is to believe that it is.

Have you ever unfollowed someone you’re close to? Do you keep track of your followers? Why do you think we place a huge emphasis on numbers on social media?

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Advocate for Yourself

April 12, 2024 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

It can be difficult to speak up for what we need, whether in our personal or professional lives.  Saying “no” can feel scary, and yet it can make a huge difference in setting good boundaries. If we don’t advocate for ourselves or are passive, we run the risk of not having our needs met and not being listened to. This can lead us to feel stressed and upset and can even lower our self-esteem. Aggressively asking for something can also be off-putting and set us back. 

There are several different ways to effectively advocate for your needs, such as using assertive communication and setting healthy boundaries. Below are a few options for practicing these. 

Assertive Communication

  • I statements
    • I statements look like: “I feel___ when___”
  • For the blanks, try filling it with I feel emotion word when explanation. For the explanation, explain how the actions of others affected you
  • I statements can help avoid blaming others while speaking up for what you want.
  • Reflective listening
    • When having a discussion, reflect/repeat back some of what others are saying to show that you are listening and processing. You can say “I hear that ___” or “It sounds like you feel_____”
    • Steer clear of just repeating back everything you hear, also known as parroting, as it can cause frustration. Attempt to switch up your language when reflecting. 

Set Healthy Boundaries

  • Personal boundaries are the rules and limits we set for ourselves in our different relationships. 
  • Healthy boundaries involve balance. It means saying no when you want to while also allowing yourself to be open to connection with those you are comfortable with. 
  • Healthy boundaries also mean honoring your own values and knowing how to communicate your needs.
  • Healthy boundaries also mean accepting when other’s say no to you!

Sometimes people may react intensely when you set your own boundaries and advocate for yourself, and that’s okay. Remember that others’ reactions to setting your own boundaries are not your responsibility and that saying no can be an act of self-love. 

How do you advocate for yourself? What does assertive communication look like for you?

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Acknowledging the Good

April 9, 2024 in Be Positive

We have talked about expressing and writing down gratitude plenty of times before. No matter how big and how small, being able to name anything positive can have an impact on your mental health and well being. Whether it’s being able to acknowledge the good things at the end of the day or being able to look back and read them if you’re feeling down, remembering that there are always good things that can happen, even when it doesn’t feel like it and knowing there’s a light when things feel bleak can make the biggest difference.

However, it’s also important to acknowledge these good things as they’re happening. Even if you aren’t aware of it at the time, trying to recognize the good in that moment can help calm you down if you’re stressed or can perk up your mood when things feel bleak.

Recognizing the good could be anything. Are you comfortable where you are right now? Is there a smell around you that makes you happy, like your body wash or a lit candle? Are you watching a show or YouTube channel that you enjoy? It could even be that feeling of finally submitting an assignment and having that relief wash all over you. 

It’s important to know that moments in life, are rarely all amazing or all terrible, even though it can feel like it can only be one extreme or the other. It’s cliche, but knowing that there is a silver lining everywhere can be a powerful coping mechanism. Enjoy moments of bliss as they happen, because they can be found almost anywhere.

What are small things that bring you joy? How do you celebrate, or even acknowledge them?

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Building Resiliency

April 5, 2024 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself, LINKS

Building resiliency is an important part of life. Every day we face new challenges and stressors; from academic stressors to social dynamics and interpersonal conflicts. Resilience, defined by the Americal Psychological Association, refers to the process of adapting to life’s challenges, successfully overcoming challenges, and feeling stronger afterward. To be resilient is to show mental flexibility when faced with difficult situations. You may be asking yourself, am I a resilient person? It takes a lot of mental resilience to cope with the level of stress most of us face daily, however, it is also a skill we can work on and improve over time. 

How do you become more resilient? 

Many factors impact a person’s resiliency. There are some things within our control such as the use of coping skills and personal strengths. Certain factors are not always in our control such as social support or community resources. Building and maintaining a support system is a good place to start, but here are some other tips to help you build resiliency on your own.

  1. Positive Self Talk: When we are struggling with something, or not meeting the goals we set for ourselves, it can be easy to think negatively about ourselves. Positive self-talk helps us face and overcome our challenges and make effective decisions. Negative self-talk leads to additional stress and decreased confidence.
  2. Problem-Solving Skills: When presented with a difficult problem having strong problem-solving skills can help you find quick solutions. The next time you face a problem, try breaking it down. First, analyze what caused the problem in the first place. Then create a list of all possible solutions. Next, decide which solution is best and come up with a plan. If your first solution does not work out, revisit your other solutions. The important part is to not give up!
  3. Combining both one and two is our third method of increasing resilience: learning to see ‘failure’ as a learning opportunity. While setbacks can be frustrating, they allow you the opportunity to know how to face future problems differently. This is building resilience!

Building resilience is not a quick fix but rather a lifelong journey of growth and self-discovery. By strengthening our problem-solving skills and fostering a growth mindset we can navigate life’s ups and downs with strength, courage, and resilience.

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What is Somatization?

April 1, 2024 in LINKS

Have you ever experienced an upset stomach, a tight chest, clammy hands, or any other physical reaction when you’re stressed or depressed? The mind and body have an incredibly strong connection, and when you’re feeling an overwhelming amount of emotion, your brain can process it as being in danger even if the situation isn’t life-threatening, and initiates the fight-flight-freeze response.

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This is called somatization, or the way your body reacts to what it thinks is danger, even though nothing seems to be physically wrong with you. The video below, produced by the Kelty Mental Health Resource Center in British Columbia, Canada, explains this in more detail. Reading about the science behind it can be a little overwhelming, including how the nervous system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system (it can feel a little bit like biology class), but the 7 minute video breaks it down, with cute animations and animals to keep you entertained.

The video shows different situations where people can experience somatization: pressure from an upcoming test or game and the feeling of rejection from people you care about. While these aren’t places where things are necessarily life-threatening, they can have an intense effect on you, especially if these are things that cause you stress or are particularly emotional about. This intensity is what makes your brain see this situations as dangerous to you, and that’s how your body reacts.

Learn more below!

Do you experience physical reactions when you’re feeling upset or depressed? What kinds are they? What do you do to help them, if anything?

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Are You Struggling With ‘Popcorn Brain’?

March 29, 2024 in Educate Yourself, LINKS, Social Media Guide

Have you ever felt like your brain is constantly ‘popping’ with thoughts, ideas, and distractions? You’re not alone!

David Levy, a professor at the University of Washington coined the term in a 2011 research study he led looking into the impact of technology on the average human attention span. ‘Popcorn brain’ refers to the way we have become so focused on electronic multi-tasking that other activities are of less interest. One study determined that since 2004 the average attention span has decreased from two and a half minutes to around forty-seven seconds!

What causes popcorn brain?

Current research claims that there are multiple reasons why many people suffer from a shorter attention span. First, we are constantly receiving notifications from more than one app. One minute we are checking our email, only to receive a notification from Instagram, then another from Snapchat. The cycle of notifications overwhelms our brain and makes it hard to focus on one thing at a time.

Research also supports that the notifications we receive and the short clips we watch give us little boosts of dopamine. Dopamine is also known as the “feel good” hormone and is connected with impulse control. Many social media apps are using an ‘endless scrolling’ design making it very easy to lose track of time. When paired together these elements of social media use normalize switching between thoughts and tasks rapidly.

The good news is there are ways to increase your attention span and break your media multi-tasking habits!

One way to do this is to limit your screen time manually, using the instructions found here. Limiting screen time allows you to spend more time focusing on other tasks. Another option for iPhone users is setting up ‘focus’ modes. You can create a focus mode for any occasion where you need or want to limit notifications. Using this feature you can limit notifications from both media apps and iMessages.

Another option is using the Pomodoro Technique. When focusing on a task, set a timer for some time. While the timer is running, try to focus on nothing but your task. Once your timer finishes, take a break! If you focus for more time, give yourself a longer break. When focusing for less time, give yourself a short break. If you know you work well on a reward system, try an app like the Focus app. Focus is a timer that plants a virtual tree for any amount of time you are off your phone.

While struggling to focus is very common, it could also be a sign of a bigger issue. If struggling to to impact your ability to function, or causes an increase in anxiety, a counselor can help! A mental health professional can help you create task-management plans, understand your attention habits, and engage in activities offline.

Do you struggle with focusing on one task at a time? What are some strategies you use to help you stay on track?

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Mental Health Literacy: What Is It, and Why Is It Important?

March 22, 2024 in Uncategorized

When we talk openly about mental health, we are making progress towards reducing the stigma. We all have mental health, but in many schools health education does not cover mental health education. In a 2022 survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) two in three students agreed that they would like to learn more about mental health in school. Only 56% of students feel like their school cares about their mental health.

What is mental health literacy?

To understand mental health literacy, we first have to understand what health literacy is. Health literacy is the ability to find, read, understand, and use information to make choices about your health and the care you receive. Mental health literacy is made up of four main components:

  1. Building skills to get and stay mentally healthy
  2. Improve understanding of common mental disorders (symptoms, signs) and treatments
  3. Reducing stigma
  4. Increasing effective help-seeking

In many educational settings, health class is part of the curriculum. It may be a semester-long class or part of the main curriculum and take place the entire school year. In one study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, only 41% of schools had created or implemented for social, emotional, and mental well-being. With the students themselves requesting more mental health information in a school setting, the need for schools to step up is great.

How can you improve your mental health literacy?

First, it is important to know how to find information that is backed by research. You might have heard of a peer-reviewed journal in your classes, or have had a teacher tell you to not trust Wikipedia in the past. Sites such as Google Scholar have many peer-reviewed research articles, meaning the research was reviewed by a panel for accuracy. Federal Government health sites (followed by .gov) are more reliable as well, including Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Nation Institute of Mental Health. Even with information found on these websites, it is important to think about who is funding the research, the reasoning for the research, and the credibility of the professionals sharing their knowledge.

When you have a mental health question, do you have a website you turn to? Are you receiving mental health education at school?

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