By Fiona McGlynn
What would you say to a 16 year-old who is dealing with depression? What words would you have for a teenager who is struggling with anxiety? If you could put those words into a letter, what would you write?
The #DearAnxiousYouth letter writing campaign, is asking youth to “Consider a challenge you’ve faced (e.g. feeling stress over graduation, losing a friend) and write an open letter to another youth who may be facing that challenge, helping them overcome it.”
This week, high school classrooms across North America are answering this call, writing letters in celebration of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 1-7). The collected letters are being published online where they will be available year round, so that they reach those who need them most.
The #DearAnxiousYouth letters are a reminder that growing up is never easy, describing a wide array of challenges, from fitting-in to stressing about exams to making important life decisions. They also ring with an encouraging shared message, “You are not alone. We have all been through—or are currently going through—this stage in life together.”
#DearAnxiousYouth is a collaboration between Children’s Mental Health Matters! and The Love Letter Project.
Children’s Mental Health Matters! is a Maryland campaign that raises awareness of the importance of children’s mental health over a week of workshops, events, media, and outreach. The campaign is a collaboration of the Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD) and the Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF).
The Love Letter Project publishes letters to help people overcome life challenges. Since 2014, they’ve received hundreds of letters from around the world on a wide range of topics including depression, bullying, grief and much more. These letters can be found online where people facing challenges can read them, find encouragement and support, and gain a more powerful perspective on life.
To learn more, you can visit :
www.theloveletterproject.ca/dearanxiousyouth
https://www.facebook.com/loveletterproj
https://www.twitter.com/loveletterproj
