All About Devyn
What is mental health?
Mental health is the overall health of our state of mind, including emotional well-being, psychological well-being, social well-being, and stress management. All of this impacts our we interact socially and how we react to things.
What were my childhood fears?
The dark.
Momo.
Scared of the ocean.
What are some good habits to get into to maintain your mental health?
- Taking time to notice if you aren't feeling yourself and being aware of what is going on within yourself both physically and mentally.
- Taking the time to prioritize taking care of yourself and your needs, both physically and mentally.
- Allow yourself to fully feel your feelings, attend therapy, and acknowledge that it's ok to not be ok.
How did you and your best friend meet?
We met through a mutual friend right at the end of 6th grade. We have a lot in common including our sense of humor so we really relate.
What is my priority in life right now?
To have fun and figuring out who I am.
What is the hardest part about being a teenager right now?
My insecurities, which feel bigger when I compare myself to others. For example, when it comes to grades or income. I feel like sometimes I have to keep those undercover so I can fit in at my school.
Comparing myself to others tends to make me feel defeated and lose motivation to try.
What was your favorite toy or game and why was it special?
My favorite toy is a little lion named Huggie. Because I've had it for so long, and I loved lions as a child. It was a gift from my mom to my dad, then they gave it to me.
What is the purpose of a coping skill?
To help bring yourself up from being low to being high! To help get rid of any negative thoughts.
To help manage stress and uncomfortable emotions.
What is a family tradition that you cherish?
Every Sunday we have pasta at my grandmother's house. I love doing this because the food is so good and I like spending time with my family.
What is a challenge that you've overcome that has made you stronger?
After my grandpa died, trying to accept it and move on has made me stronger because, through therapy, I've learned how to express my emotions without that judgement.
What is one thing you wish your friends understood about you?
I wish they could see from my point of view rather than only their own because I feel more connected to my friends when I feel understood, when they struggle to see my perspective, I don't feel connected.
What did you dislike and like about school?
Dislike: When you don't understand how to do something, it makes everything so much harder. A lot of the people, there are so many mean and nasty people at school.
When I don't understand how to do something I try to ask for help.
When I come across someone who is mean, I try to distance myself from them.
Like: Being able to see your friends daily and the food.
How do you handle conflict with friends and family?
Friends: Friends don't generally like to talk in person, they prefer text, which creates challenges when resolving conflict because you cannot hear tone or pick up emotions as easily. I try to communicate through text by typing out long paragraph texts to get out everything I need to say.
If it's a disagreement, not a fight, I would talk about compromise.
Family: I am more comfortable having yelling arguments with them in person, where it feels like the conflict gets resolved.
What defines my identity and makes me who I am?
I am loyal, which makes people know that I am trustworthy and that they can rely on me so I have been able to build close friendships.
I have a good sense of humor and I really enjoy laughing with my friends.
I have a flexible mind, I am able to think of many different things and shift from topic to topic.
I have a really loving heart, I feel love in return so I know I am making other people feel loved.