Mayor's Youth Council 2021 Project

Project Description

There is a massive and frightful epidemic sweeping the nation, not the pandemic against which we’ve fought for a year and a half, not the effects it has brought upon us even, but the manner by which those effects are misunderstood and negatively contextualized. Over the course of the pandemic the rate of mental illness has increased exponentially, in particular Major Depressive Disorder and General Anxiety Disorder have found themselves coming to the forefront of daily life for millions of people nationally and globally. We even feel the effects in our town, and without treatment these disorders can lead to complete individual collapse and even Suicide. It is thus impertinent that we inform the general public as to what living with such disorders actually entail, and why we ought not to turn our backs upon those who suffer from it but embrace and support them. In this document, we shall outline four important aspects in dealing with mental illness, and for further clarification links to other resources and academic literature on the subject will be provided. These aspects consist of the causes both internal and external, the symptoms which those suffering from the disorder exhibit, how they can be treated both on a professional and individual level, and how we as a community can support those suffering from mental illness by changing our own behavior.

Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Webinar

The Mayor's Youth Council in partnership with the Arizona Attorney General's office present an online webinar focused on Mental Health and Suicide Awareness. 

This presentation addresses the teen suicide epidemic at both statewide and national levels. We discuss what to do when someone talks about ending their life, tools that help alert us to the warning signs and learn about risk and protective factors for youth suicidality. We will also provide the helpful resources for further guidance.

Mental Health Disorders & Resources:

Mental Health Disorders:

• ADHD
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Eating Disorder

Resources

• Guide to positive emotional health
• A basic outline of the symptoms one may exhibit when one suffers from Major Depression and potential ways to support oneself when living with Depression.
• A guide to how exercise and healthy living can help mediate mood disorders
• A guide to ways in which people living with depression can find professional help
• A guide to supporting a depression patient as a loved one
• A guide to coping with a person suffering from depression as a loved one