The Heartbeat Goes On
The Heartbeat Goes On Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting all of our lives. Stress, fear, and anxiety are heightened; we want you to know that help is available and you are not alone. Western Youth Services (WYS) has been part of the heartbeat of the Orange County, California community since 1972 and we are here […]
Why We Still Need To Talk About Teen Mental Health
Why We Still Need To Talk About Teen Mental Health We created our series 13 Reasons Why We MUST Talk About Teen Mental Health because when the Netflix original series, 13 Reasons Why, aired there was tremendous controversy surrounding it. The show shares the fictional story of a high school student named Hannah Baker, who […]
Hope for Teens Struggling with Depression
Hope for Teens Struggling with Depression Depression in adolescents is more than sadness or moodiness. It is a complex mental health condition that requires compassionate medical care. At Western Youth Services, we support teens and families through the complexities of living with a mental illness. What is depression? Everyone feels sad at some point in […]
How We Can Help Teens with Eating Disorders
How We Can Help Teens with Eating Disorders For adolescents, the mind and body are changing and developing dramatically. For some teens, the social attention of peers is exciting and fun, as they develop their own identities. It can also be a tumultuous transition for some teens that struggle with mental health issues such as […]
Understanding Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Understanding Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse High school is an exciting time filled with new experiences. Adolescents are hardwired to take risks and try out “adult” behaviors. It makes sense that almost 70 percent of high school seniors have tried alcohol, and 50 percent have taken an illegal drug such as marijuana. There is a […]
Understanding Teen Loneliness and Social Isolation
Understanding Teen Loneliness and Social Isolation One of the joys and horrors for adolescents is navigating the many transitions they experience in a very short period of time. There are transitions and changes to educational environments we can all remember, such as moving from middle school to high school and then on to college or […]
Creating Resilient Holiday Traditions
Creating Resilient Holiday Traditions Although there are many holidays throughout the year, the concentration of days that are celebrated in November and December can make this a challenging season for those living with a mental health concern. What is meant to be the happiest time of the year, for some is filled with unrealistic expectations of […]
Kindness is Contagious
Kindness is Contagious Scientific American published an article titled “Kindness Contagion – Witnessing kindness inspires kindness, causing it to spread like a virus.” The article shares the details of research they conducted on positive conformity. How people will model the behavior of others and if they see them “doing good” they will follow suit. Sometimes this […]
Teenage Anxiety a Rapidly Growing Mental Health Concern
Teenage Anxiety a Rapidly Growing Mental Health Concern A recent article in the NY Times titled: Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety? sheds light on how anxiety is the most common mental-health disorder affecting nearly one-third of both adolescents and adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. “Anxiety is […]
The Impact of Childhood Domestic Violence
The Impact of Childhood Domestic Violence Let’s start with statistics of Childhood Domestic Violence, which are heartbreaking. A study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that every year an estimated 3.3 million to 10 million children are exposed to domestic violence in their home. ChildStats.gov indicates that there are 73.8 million […]