Mental health is no different than physical health.

It’s real and can be tough on everyone, especially you as teens. We know there’s a lot going on with the stress of friends, family, school, and homework. Add in a pandemic, scary natural disasters, schools opening and closing, and all the unknowns, and it’s a lot. We wanted to give you a break to check in on your mental health. How’d we do this? AMAs. Fun, candid convos with local influencers talking about mental health and answering your questions. Wanna tune in? Just scroll down.

Ask me what? Ask me anything!

We connected with local influencers to get answers to your questions about mental health. Even better, we were able to pair up with RWJBarnabas Institute for Prevention and Recovery Hope and Healing Program to get the hardest questions answered in real time. Have a specific topic in mind? Scroll down to see all the options.

Feeling like you could use some help? Check out our resources section.

Self-compassion

Opening Up About Mental Health

Support Systems & Resources for Mental Health

Back-to-school Self-care

School Related Anxiety

Self Care & Healthy Relationships

Stress & Anxiety

Social Anxiety During COVID

Minority Mental Health

Stress Management

Self-love

Anxiety & stress

Stress management

Resources for treatment

Resources

Need help now? Here are some immediate crisis and support resources.

Teens:

Figuring out who to ask about what and when isn’t always easy. These mental health resources provide a wealth of information and advice to help you find answers to your questions, to better understand the changes that you (or your friends) are going through, and to make smart decisions about your life:

National Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741 to be connected to a trained crisis counselor.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

988

Free, 24/7 confidential support for people going through a mental health crisis. Support is available via phone as well as chat, accessible through their website. Resources available to identify support or therapy in your community.

New Jersey Hopeline

1-855-654-6735 or Chat Here

24/7 support available by phone, chat, or text for those who live in New Jersey.

National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA)

1-800-931-2237

Support for anyone affected by eating disorders; assistance is available via the helpline, in addition to a screening tool to help those 13 years and older decide if they need to find professional support. Resources, information, and advocacy tools available.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network)

1-800-656-4673

RAINN provides education on sexual violence, self-care, and resources, in addition to free support with trained crisis counselors via phone or online chat.

The Trevor Project

1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678

LGBTQIA+ kids and teens can reach out to The Trevor Project for support via text, phone, or chat. The Trevor Project is committed to education, advocacy, and creating safe spaces.

Trans Lifeline

1-877-565-8860

Trans peer support run by and for the trans community. Provides crisis support and resources.

Love is Respect

1-866-331-9474

A project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, love is respect offers 24/7 information, support, and advocacy to young people between the ages of 13 and 26 who have questions or concerns about their romantic relationships.

2ndFloor Youth Helpline

1-888-222-2228 - call or text

2NDFLOOR is a confidential and anonymous helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. Helps youth find solutions to the problems that they face at home, at school, or socially.

TeensHealth

Education from Nemours to learn more about mental health topics.

Depression Screening Brochure

Wondering if you have Depression? Here are some questions to ask yourself.

New Jersey Youth Resource Spot

Directory of statewide resources for youth across all New Jersey counties, including mentoring, employment and mental health resources, and more.

HiTOPS

1-609-683-5155

Inclusive sex education and LGBTQ+ support groups for youth across New Jersey.

Children's System of Care

1-877-652-7624

For youth under age 21, statewide service linking youth to services to benefit their mental and emotional health and lives. Connects kids to substance use services, mental health resources, and housing.

Parents:

With each new generation comes new challenges or different versions of the same struggles that have affected teens for decades. Bullying, peer pressure, body shaming, negative self-perception — the list of teen issues goes on and on. As a parent, you might remember the issues you faced when you were young, but you may be unsure if that fully equips you to help your teen through their difficulties. Many of the challenges teens face involve mental health issues, some of which have the potential to lead to drug abuse as a coping mechanism. Realistically, how much do you know about these issues? Do you know the signs to look for or how to effectively help your teen? Below are some resources to help guide these conversations:

National Parent Helpline

1-855-427-2736

Emotional support from a trained advocate to help you become empowered and a stronger parent.

New Jersey Department of Health Services

The New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) is the state’s largest agency. It serves about 2.1 million New Jerseyans, or about one of every five state residents and one out of every three children. We serve older New Jerseyans, individuals and families with low incomes; people with developmental disabilities or late-onset disabilities; people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind; parents needing child care services, child support and/or health care for their children; people who are dealing with addiction and mental health issues; and families facing catastrophic medical expenses for their children.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Resources for Caregivers

Mental health applications to download:

Sometimes support can be as easy as opening your phone and checking in on your favorite app. Maybe swap out a daily social media open for one of these that can help lower stress.