Mind Matters
This common condition involves persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities.
What is depression?
Myth or Fact: "People can just snap out of a mental health condition if they try hard enough."
What is a Myth? (Mental health conditions require support, not just willpower).
This term refers to eye contact, facial expressions, and posture, which convey messages without using any words
What is body language (or non-verbal communication)?
This short slang word, popularized by the game Among Us, is used to describe shady or suspicious behavior.
What is "sus"?
This simple facial expression is a universal, non-verbal way to show someone that you are friendly, happy, or welcoming.
What is a smile?
This is the body's natural response to stress, which can feel like worry, dread, or a racing heart.
What is anxiety?
Myth or Fact: "Mental health conditions are actually very common among teenagers."
What is a Fact? (About 1 in 5 teens live with a mental health condition).
Starting statements with this pronoun (e.g., "I feel upset when...") helps you express your emotions without making the other person feel blamed.
What is "I" (as in "I-statements")?
This WNBA superstar broke the all-time NCAA scoring record before being drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever.
Who is Caitlin Clark?
This state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion is caused by excessive and prolonged stress, often from juggling too many classes and activities.
What is burnout?
This term refers to the negative attitudes, stereotypes, or discrimination directed at people with mental health challenges.
What is stigma?
Myth or Fact: "Asking a friend if they are struggling or having thoughts of self-harm will make things worse."
What is a Myth? (Asking directly shows care and opens the door for help).
This style of resolving disagreements involves both sides giving up a little of what they want in order to meet in the middle.
What is a compromise?
Widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time, this athlete captured the world's attention with her historic Olympic comeback.
Who is Simone Biles?
These are the personal limits and rules we set for ourselves in relationships to protect our time, energy, and mental health.
What are boundaries?
This simple breathing technique involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4, exhaling for 4, and holding for 4.
What is box breathing (or deep breathing)?
For optimal brain function and emotional regulation, teenagers generally need this many hours of sleep per night.
What is 8 to 10 hours?
Taking the initiative to invite someone who is sitting alone at lunch or standing by themselves at a game to join your group is a prime example of this social value.
What is inclusion (or being inclusive)?
Teenager Miles Morales is the main hero of this visually stunning, Oscar-winning animated Marvel film franchise.
What is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (or Across the Spider-Verse)?
According to a study by neuroscientists at Queen's University, about how many individual thoughts does the average human brain have in a single day?
6,200 thoughts
This chemical messenger in the brain is often called the "feel-good" hormone and is linked to reward and motivation.
What is dopamine?
This natural hormone, which tells your brain it is time to sleep, is often suppressed by the blue light emitted from phone screens at night.
What is melatonin?
Asking these types of questions—which require more than a simple "yes" or "no" answer—is one of the best ways to keep a conversation going.
What are open-ended questions?
This massively popular anime series follows Tanjiro Kamado as he fights dark forces to find a cure for his sister, Nezuko.
What is Demon Slayer?
This is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, meaning your brain can adapt and heal.
What is neuroplasticity?