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Isolation and loneliness are some of the biggest p

Isolation and loneliness are some of the biggest predictors of suicide. That’s why focusing on social connection and building community is *so* important for suicide prevention and a healthy wellbeing. You don’t have to have a giant group of friends or a busy social calendar to feel connected. In fact, connection is more about the quality of people in our corner as opposed to the quantity. Take about 20 seconds and think about the people in your life that you not only have fun with, but could also go to if you needed support. Did you think of a friend or two? A sibling or cousin? A partner? A parent? A grandparent? Another trusted adult in your life? Good! ALL of those people can be in your support system. Connection isn’t a guarantee, and it isn’t a one-way street. Challenge yourself to intentionally connect with some folks you care about this Suicide Prevention Month. Send a text, make plans to hang out, put your phone down during family dinner, invite your sibling to watch a movie with you. You never know who might need that extra connection, including yourself! If you need immediate help, text “MIND” to 741741. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

How we take care of our bodies and minds affects h

How we take care of our bodies and minds affects how we feel. Engaging in community care, or taking care of and being taken care of by our communities, is a huge piece of being mentally well. And it’s also important that we engage in self-care too! This term gets tossed around a lot, but what does self-care really mean? For some folks, self-care can look like taking a bubble bath, ordering your favorite food, or turning off your phone and binging a good TV show. For others, it might look like taking your medication, engaging in physical activity or joyful movement, showing up to your therapy appointment, or taking a shower–even when you just want to lay in bed all day. And for a lot of us, it might look like all of this and more, depending on the day. Self-care is not always glamorous or trendy, but it is always necessary. Self-care does not mean that you are solely responsible for your own mental wellness, or that you have to do it alone. Instead, it means that even in the midst of stressful, busy, or tough times we still prioritize taking care of ourselves; including our minds. This Suicide Prevention Month, try showing up for yourself by engaging in the self-care that you both want AND need. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

Link in bio for Early Bird tickets for Our Bright

Link in bio for Early Bird tickets for Our Bright Night: Celebrating 10 Years of Our Minds Matter. These discounted tickets are on sale until the end of the month! Get yours before they’re gone 🎟 and join us for an inspiring night celebrating our impact and all we hope to accomplish in the next decade. #ourbrightnight #ourmindsmatter

Chase Pantezzi is one of our awesome Teen Advisory

Chase Pantezzi is one of our awesome Teen Advisory Council Members and has been a part of his school’s OMM club since his freshman year at Quince Orchard High School. As a member of TAC, Chase has shared: “While I have experienced personal battles with anxiety and overthinking, I find joy in turning that into something positive as I destigmatize and educate others about the importance of prioritizing mental health.” Thank you, Chase, for sharing your story. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

Julia grew up in Syracuse, NY and obtained their B

Julia grew up in Syracuse, NY and obtained their Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Ithaca College. During their undergrad years, Julia was selected as a Scholar within the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, an innovative leadership initiative geared toward leveraging identity, personal strengths, and collective knowledge to positively impact social change and foster inclusive communities on and off campus. Following their time at IC, Julia’s passion for youth advocacy and mental health promotion led her to a fellowship at Active Minds. She worked collaboratively to grow and increase representation within their national suicide prevention display. Through this, Julia has developed a love for employing programming and events to empower and promote vulnerability and help-seeking behaviors. Julia lives in Rockville, MD, with her wife and their two kitties – Theo & Flink. She loves bagels, thrift shopping, reading books recommended by BookTok, and going on late-night drives with the windows down.

Being there and caring for our friends and peers c

Being there and caring for our friends and peers can go a long way, and can be especially important for someone who may be struggling with their mental health. What does caring look like? Caring can look different for everyone, and will likely change based on your relationship with each person in your life. A few ways to show that we care about someone include checking in and asking them how they’re *really* doing, listening to them without judgment and without trying to “fix” them, making sure they get the help they need from a safe adult or professional (check out our “asking for help” post for ideas!), and continuing to do the things you normally do together to show you value their presence in your life. Always be sure to check in with yourself to make sure you’re not feeling overwhelmed when showing care for others–your mental health has to come first. Caring for those we love and checking in on them is great, and it IS suicide prevention. *And* caring also includes being kind as often as possible, being mindful and inclusive of folks’ identities, working to make spaces you occupy safe for all, and doing service for your community. How will you show you care this Suicide Prevention Month? P.S.
Want to learn more about being there for others? Complete your Be There Certificate at the link in our bio! #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

Dr. G Wei Ng is a licensed psychologist and our ✨new✨ Director of Impact. We’re so excited to have her on our team, and to have her expertise as we measure the impact of our student-led mental health clubs. For #ourstoriesourminds, Dr. Ng shares how her immigrant identity has had a profound impact on her own mental health–and how she’s come to accept that being imperfect is part of being human. 💗 #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

Picture this: You’ve had a cough, fever, headach

Picture this: You’ve had a cough, fever, headache, and sore throat for a few days, and you keep feeling worse. Would you tell yourself that you’re just being dramatic? Would you get angry at yourself and feel shame for feeling sick? Would you ignore it, even when it’s preventing you from being able to live your daily life? Probably not, right? Many young people who are feeling physically sick will tell their parent or guardian, their school nurse, or go to their doctor directly to get the help they need. So what if, instead of flu symptoms, you were feeling the effects of depression? Maybe your energy levels kept dropping, you found it hard to focus, you felt persistent feelings of sadness or irritability without being able to put your finger on why, and you didn’t seem to enjoy things the way you used to? Would you treat that with the same urgency? The stigma around mental health struggles is real, and often creates barriers for folks to seek help. But the help IS there. Just like if you were feeling physically sick, you can turn to a parent, guardian, or another safe adult–your school counselor or a therapist, for example–or even a friend to share how you’re feeling and get the help you need and deserve. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and needs the same professional attention. Asking for help is suicide prevention. In need of immediate help? Text “MIND” to 741741. Otherwise, check out the link in our bio for a list of mental health resources including specific resources for BIPOC youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and for all teens and young adults. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Conversatio

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Conversations about suicide prevention can at times feel somber—and overwhelming. Recent statistics around youth suicide tell us that the situation is dire. And we know that this crisis requires action from all of us. And that’s where the hope comes in. Yes, the facts you see above are true. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24, and suicide rates increase for many marginalized populations due to ongoing discrimination and obstacles to accessing care. *And* the other facts are also true. When folks feel affirmed, validated, and safe in their community spaces, we see suicide rates decrease. When folks have access to affirming mental health resources and knowledge about coping skills, healthy habits, and strong support networks, we see suicide rates decrease. So on this World Suicide Prevention Day, we aren’t letting the fear drown out our hope. We believe that together, we can save lives. Click the link in our bio to learn more about the Our Minds Matter movement. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter #worldsuicidepreventionday

Iman Mohamed, a member of our Teen Advisory Counci

Iman Mohamed, a member of our Teen Advisory Council and an OMM student leader, shares a bit about her journey with mental health literacy for #ourstoriesourminds. Thank you, Iman, for reminding us that it’s OK to not be OK. #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #ourmindsmatter #mentalhealthishealth

Aras, one of our dedicated and awesome board membe

Aras, one of our dedicated and awesome board members, shares his mental health story. He notes that taking care of his mental health is a daily practice, just like the small steps he takes each day to take care of his physical health, like brushing his teeth. He also reminds us that it’s ok to ask for help! How do you take care of your mental health on a daily basis? Share in the comments if you’re feeling up to it! ⬇️ #ourstoriesourminds #suicidepreventionmonth #suicideawareness #mentalhealthishealth #ourmindsmatter

⁠Join us on Friday, December 9th from 7pm-10pm a

⁠Join us on Friday, December 9th from 7pm-10pm at The Showroom for a 10-year anniversary celebration! 🌟 Link in bio to get tickets. 🎟️⁠
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Note: there are a *limited* number of discounted early bird tickets available until the end of September! Be sure to get yours today. 😊⁠
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Our Bright Night will celebrate 10 years of Our Minds Matter uplifting teen mental health. 10 years ago OMM started in just 5 high schools in Fairfax, VA – and now we’re in 130 schools across the country, and growing.⁠
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We hope you’ll join us to celebrate and enjoy a night of dinner, drinks, and an inspiring program featuring OMM students. (And OMM clubs: keep an eye out for how your club can be involved on the night of!)⁠
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We can’t wait to celebrate with you and look ahead to all the ways we’re going to change the culture of mental health in schools over the next 10 years. 💗⁠ Click the link in bio for tickets or go to https://bit.ly/ourbrightnight.⁠
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⁠#ourmindsmatter #ourbrightnight22

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