As many as one in five U.S. teens suffers from disabling mental illness. Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in May, BeSmartBeWell.com highlights the issue of mental illness in teens and tells the stories of two teens who moved from diagnosis through treatment and recovery.
What does mental illness look like in teens? It looks like Colleen, who’s battled depression and anxiety since she was 13, and Katie, who struggled with addiction in her early teens. Mental illness in teens looks just like the kid next door – studies show nearly half of all youth will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/besmartbewell/50033/
BeSmartBeWell.com, an award-winning website, is dedicated to helping the public be healthy and safe through increased awareness and simple-to-use knowledge. In 2009, Be Smart. Be Well. created a series of videos about the childhood obesity crisis. Four years later, we checked in with a leading expert to ask: Are we winning the race?
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61019-be-smart-be-well-childhood-obesity-are-we-winning-the-race
Whether you're entertaining at home, celebrating at a restaurant or attending a potluck party, the holidays are a time for friends and family to gather and eat. Don't let food poisoning spoil your holiday plans. At BeSmartBeWell.com, meet Chef Kang, a Le Cordon Bleu chef, and Ellen, a real mom who has some things to learn about food safety. They will show you how to keep your kitchen and holiday menu safe.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/foodsafety/50828/
They’ve been dubbed the “Sandwich Generation”–middle-aged people caring for aging parents while still taking care of their own children. Pulled in many directions, these family jugglers are at risk for stress, depression and other health problems. Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population; 10,000 people turn 65 every day. This will continue for nearly 20 years, and that means more and more people will find themselves aiding their aging parents.
Throughout November, which is National Family Caregiver Month, BeSmartBeWell.com sheds light on the challenges of caregiving and the particular issues facing the Sandwich Generation. At BeSmartBeWell.com, siblings Chris and Ann share their story of juggling jobs, family and caring for elderly parents.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/caregivingparents/50827/
With about one out of every three children in this country obese or overweight, it’s more important than ever to focus on healthy choices and changes that families can make together. Throughout March, which is National Nutrition Month, BeSmartBeWell.com shares stories of real families like Cindy and her children, who got healthier by cutting out junk food and exercising more.
“We lost over 200 pounds together as a family,” says Cindy in a video on Be Smart. Be Well. “After going back through and looking at pictures of where we were to where we’ve come, it’s just absolutely amazing!”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/childhoodobesity/50831
Childhood obesity is a nationwide epidemic, but the Hispanic community is particularly affected. Children of Hispanic descent are significantly more likely to be overweight and obese than non-Hispanic Caucasian kids, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
For 11-year-old Alejandra and her parents, food was an expression of love. But overeating and other unhealthy habits led this young girl to become overweight. Today, Alejandra knows that you can eat right and still eat well. At BeSmartBeWell.com , Alejandra and her parents show how they've changed their ways without sacrificing their culture or love of food.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/besmartbewell/50822/
Today marks the official start of summer, but for most teens, summer vacation is already in high gear. That means that the season known as the 100 Deadliest Days for teen drivers — Memorial Day to Labor Day — has begun.
To bring attention to safe teen driving this summer, BeSmartBeWell.com is inviting the 15,000+ members of our Facebook community to make today, June 20th, Safe Teen Driving Day. On the Safe Teen Driving Day event page, BeSmartBeWell friends are invited to join the Safe Teen Driving movement, interact with experts and share ideas on how they will stay safe today, and every other day of the year.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50834-be-smart-be-well-safe-teen-driving-day-facebook-event
BeSmartBeWell.com is leading the way in health education, helping people manage common, largely preventable health issues through compelling, documentary-style videos. Research shows that video storytelling is effective at changing people's habits and behaviors, and a number of prominent health organizations are collaborating with BeSmartBeWell.com in order to further health education via this powerful medium.
LoveIsRespect.org found everyday teens who were willing to speak candidly about dating abuse. In Dating Abuse: Teens Start Talking, these teens talk openly about dating abuse and the risks of being young and in love in today's fast-paced technological world.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50837-be-smart-be-well-changing-how-people-see-health-issues
The holidays are a busy time filled with shopping, parties, travel and family gatherings. But for some, the holidays can trigger stress and depression, or worsen existing mental health issues. Financial strain, renewed grief over the loss of a loved one, being away from family or spending time with difficult family members may all contribute.
This holiday season, BeSmartBeWell.com offers five important tips for managing stress and depression from Michael Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and one of the experts featured in a series of videos at Be Smart. Be Well. Mental Health.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50839-be-smart-be-well-expert-advice-manage-stress-depression-during-holidays
Addiction can destroy careers and ruin lives. It can be devastating to watch a loved one descend into addiction, and family members often can’t understand why an addict continues to use drugs or alcohol despite the ruinous consequences.
In a series of new videos at besmartbewell.com/addiction, leading experts explain how addiction affects the brain and offer insight into why it is so hard for addicts to stop using drugs and alcohol.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61017-be-smart-be-well-explores-the-science-of-addiction
BeSmartBeWell.com, an award-winning website, is dedicated to helping the public be healthy and safe through increased awareness and simple-to-use knowledge. With its latest topic, Sleep, Be Smart. Be Well. examines the importance of sleep and how to improve the quality of it.
Sleep is as important to disease prevention as diet and exercise, according to Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic and Director of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine who is featured in a new video on besmartbewell.com/sleep. Yet, many adults fail to get the recommended amount of sleep—some because they struggle with sleep problems like insomnia and some because they simply don’t make sleep a priority.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61018-be-smart-be-well-get-some-sleep-your-health-depends-on-it