Mental Health

Introduction to Mental Health Stigma According to the Centers for Disease Control, the prevalence of any mental illness (AMI) for U.S. people in 2022 was 23.1% of the U.S. adult population. Using data collected from 2001-2004, the prevalence of any mental disorder for U.S. adolescents (ages 13-18) was…

Introduction Supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of youth is a priority of the 4-H positive youth development program. In fact, each of the four Hs (Head, Heart, Hands, and Health) relate to mental wellbeing. Our head is the place where we think, have emotions, and make decisions. Our heart is…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority individuals—or LGB+—experience persistent health disparities and higher rates of depression related to discrimination and minority stress, yet the burden of chronic fatigue syndrome, a debilitating and often misdiagnosed condition, is not well understood…

Introduction Life can be stressful. From picking up the kids from school to paying the bills, life can sometimes feel like waves of to-dos that keep coming our way. And for those who volunteer in our 4-H youth development program, there can be additional sources of stress, such as helping prepare youth…

Introduction As we prepare for a new 4-H program year, we have many reasons to be grateful. Recently I attended a 4-H drone camp in Santa Clara and witnessed middle- and high-school youth present their capstone STEM projects in front of their parents and 4-H staff. I was amazed at what they had learned…

IntroductionHumans are very complex systems and require ongoing maintenance. Similar to maintaining a vehicle (e.g. oil changes, etc.), people also have ongoing needs in order to function at optimal levels. Adequate sleep, physical exercise, enjoyable activities, positive relationships, and other factors are…