The emergence of social media has allowed us as a society to connect easier than ever.
Just by logging in to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat people are able to get instant updates on their friends’ lives or find out what their favorite celebrity did that day. Trekking through Europe? Post about it. New hairstyle? Share it with your followers. People have grown accustomed to sharing their lives with the world, but sharing their struggles is a completely different story.
People dealing with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress often choose to suffer in silence.
They fear that they won’t be understood or will be branded as weird, crazy, or any other negative stigma associated with mental health which often keeps them from opening up. They fear that making their struggles known will leave them friendless and alone, so they remain silent, feeling hopelessly alone in their suffering anyway.
At E3 Family Solutions, we wanted to create opportunities for people to reach out and ask for help but we couldn’t do it alone.
That’s why we partnered with the Hernando Community Coalition (HCC). HCC has been operating in Hernando County since 2003 and started with the desire to effect positive changes by reducing substance abuse among the youth in Hernando County through partnerships with parents, schools, law enforcement, healthcare officials, and other community-minded organizations.
Their operating principle is that in order to have a positive impact on youth in the community, they need to provide a safe and supportive environment for them to share and learn. This is accomplished through the implementation of prevention programs like You’re Not Alone.
This program is designed to prevent mental health issues among teens by normalizing the discussion of issues like sadness, depression, anxiety, and stress thereby reducing the likelihood of turning to negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse or self-harm. The program also promotes self-care by providing teens with strategies for improving their overall mental health.
The goals of You’re Not Alone include the following:
- Increasing mental health coping skills.
- Increasing referrals to behavioral health service providers.
- Educating people that mental health issues are common and what some of those common conditions are.
- Increasing the amount of youth who are comfortable reaching out to adults for help.
- Reducing the suicide risk among youth.
- Reducing the negative stigmas surrounding mental health.
- Reducing substance abuse.
The teams at E3 Family Solutions and Hernando Community Coalition want teens to know that if they are feeling depressed, anxious, or lonely, they are not alone. They don’t have to suffer in silence. It’s important for teens to hear the message “YOU’RE NOT ALONE. It is okay to share. There are people out there who want to walk with you through these struggles.”
If you know of a child or teen who is struggling and you would like more information about this program don’t hesitate to call 352-596-8000.
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