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Youth Mental Health & Wellness Resources

This Youth Mental Health & Wellness Resources page is curated by the Iowa Afterschool Alliance Youth Service Board. This Board is composed of local Iowa youth between ages 15-18 years old. This resource page is the result of months of youth-led discussion on issues impacting Iowan youth and brainstorming on solutions to improve youth mental health & wellness. The resources curated here are recommended for youth, by youth. We highly encourage adult partners to also utilize this list to improve their understanding of youth mental health needs.

Meet the youth service board

what is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Why is mental health important for overall health?

Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health.  For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.

How common are mental illnesses?

You are not alone. Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States.

  • More than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness.

  • Over 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.

  • About 1 in 25 U.S. adults lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

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Taking care of your mental health

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Here are some best practices for taking care of your mental health and promoting mental wellness.​

 

Note – everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for another. We highly recommend discussing with your doctor or a provider about mental health needs that may be unique to you.

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Practice gratitude

Think about what you’re thankful for – like supportive family and friends, a safe home, or even a beautiful day. Or find something to celebrate, like a recent accomplishment. Consciously practicing gratitude may reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Tips for helping others

Notable mental health cues

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  • Substance Abuse

  • Intrusive thoughts

  • Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

  • Changes in school performance

  • Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

  • Poor grades despite strong efforts

  • Changes in ability to manage responsibilities

  • Excessive worry or anxiety (i.e.) refusing to go to bed or school

Create Change

If you’re like us and passionate about creating change and helping others improve their mental health, here are some ways you can engage in service projects to end the stigma and support mental wellbeing.

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SUPPORT GROUPS

  • NAMI support groups are peer-led and offer participants an opportunity to share their experiences and gain support from other attendees.

  • NAMI family support group is a support group for family members, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions.

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GET INVOLVED

  • Awareness Events

    • Millions of American’s lives are impacted daily by mental health conditions. As a way to show support for these people NAMI participates in several annual mental health awareness events.

  • Fundraise Your Way

    • There are so many great ways you can fundraise for NAMI. You can plan an event like a bake sale, concert or gala, celebrate a milestone or create a fundraising page online.

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​ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE

  • You have the power to change how decision makers support people with mental health conditions. Your personal story is always right — and it can change the hearts and minds of policymakers.

  • Tell Your Story

    • NAMI’s power to make positive change comes from the voices of lived experience. Throughout NAMI’s history, our advocates’ stories have moved hearts and minds to create policy changes that improve the lives of people affected by mental health conditions.

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Advice from the youth
service
Board

To youth

We can all get stressed every now and then so these tips, like breathing and taking a break, are super helpful for anyone who might be looking for some “quick fixes”! I also encourage you to find an adult you feel comfortable going to if you have a problem, big or small. This could be a parent or guardian, teacher, or coach.​

To adults

Talk to kids about mental health before a crisis occurs. By having you talk with kids about all of their feelings (not just “negative” ones) from a young age, kids will feel more comfortable opening up when they are older. That is one of the biggest things you can do to support us.

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School can be an extremely stressful environment; especially when we are trying to balance school work, extra-curriculars, social life, work, and many other things in life. it is easy to get overwhelmed at times and struggled to manage all of it. Having parents, teachers, and coaches being understanding of the fact that we are just kids trying to find our way in life can help a lot. Knowing that there are people to support us and to offer advice to us can be very helpful.

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