Two Brown County High School clubs are coming together to broadcast a documentary that explores anxiety in teens, its causes, effects and what can be done to prevent it.
The movie, “Angst,” features interviews with teens and young adults who suffer or have suffered from anxiety and what they’ve learned from it. Mental health experts are also interviewed in the film about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects. They also discuss help, resources and tools.
The broadcast will take place online Friday, April 23 at 7 p.m.
The high school club Bring Change 2 Mind started in 2020 as a means of bringing awareness to anxiety in teens, to change the perspective of anxiety and end the stigma.
The documentary is also being shown with the help of the high school club Students for Equity BCHS and the Brown County Community Foundation.
“The (Bring Change 2 Mind) club itself is about letting teens know that they’re not alone in things,” high school treasurer Jaleasa Jones said. The club is overseen by Dr. Sandy Washburn and Stephanie Quillen.
Washburn is the social-emotional learning coach at Brown County High School.
“We have a lot of young people right now really struggling with not only anxiety, but stress, generalized stress,” she said. The pandemic has complicated things.
“I think people don’t realize that biologically, neurologically, that teens are supposed to be connecting to peers in a profound way at this time of their lives.”
Anxiety is a “generally useful emotion” that can keep one on alert and aware of potential harm, Washburn said. It becomes an issue when it’s severe, permanent, persistent and interferes with daily functioning.
It’s estimated that 32 percent of adolescents between ages 13 and 18 experience anxiety at some point in their lives, she said.
With the addition of the pandemic into the regular stressors of teen life, club members saw the importance of sharing the documentary in order to bring awareness. Washburn said that it’s “pretty profound” to hear students talk about how their lives, mental and emotional health have been impacted.
“I hope that one of the messages (of the film) is that mental health is for everyone, not just those with a diagnosed illness.” Washburn said. “We tend to really avoid talking about mental illness, which also means that we fail to talk about mental wellness.”
In addition to the documentary, the club has also passed out candy and positive notes to all the adults in the high school building. Washburn plans on showing a trailer of the film at the high school and doing an activity related to anxiety, which she hopes will generate interest in “Angst.”
“It’d be good if a lot of students were there,” she said. “We would do well to find more ways for students to connect — to one another, communities, activities and events. There’s some movement towards that, I hope.”
After the virtual showing of the film, a panel with students, a teacher and school-based therapist will take place.
The documentary will be available on demand for 48 hours following the live broadcast.
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What: Virtual showing of the film, “Angst,” about teen anxiety
When: Friday, April 23 at 7 p.m.
Register: bit.ly/angstbroco
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