Resiliency and Mental Wellness

1. Resiliency and Mental Wellness

2. Resilience • the ability to personally or professionally succeed despite adversity; coping effectively with difficulties that might otherwise lead to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, physical symptoms, or poor achievement • to rebound, or bounce back in the face of adversity; and to develop competence (social, academic, and vocational) despite exposure to severe stress or the challenges of everyday life

3. Resilience • Social competence • Problem solving skills • Autonomy • Sense of purpose; optimism

4. Mental Wellness The World Health Organization defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

5. Mental Wellness • Focus on strengths, assets, protective buffers • Develop a supportive, caring, nurturing climate

7. Protective and Risk Factors Protective Factors: • buffer against the impact of barriers (risk factors) • Individual, family, school, and community

8. Risk Factors: • Internal and external barriers to development and learning

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14. Protective Factors Ever in a Gang General Population Used Drugs or Alcohol Community Rewards for Involvement 51% 46% 37% Youth feel that their positive behaviors are recognized by the community Peer and Individual Social Skills 67% 40% 30% Skills like decision making, conflict resolution, making good choices

15. Protective Factors General Population Reporting Symptoms of Depression Used Drugs or Alcohol 74% 61% 51% I can ask my mom or dad for help

16. Other Experiences and Regular Attendance at Religious Activities

17. Fairfax YouthA Gauge of Mental Wellness Almost all Fairfax County youth report that there are lots of opportunities to get involved in positive activities in and outside of school Nearly a quarter of Fairfax County youth are physically active for at least 60 minutes every day Three out of four youth report they can go to their parents for help with a problem More than two-thirds of Fairfax County youth have not used any drugs or alcohol in the past 30 days 17

18. A Gauge of Youth Mental Wellness

19. Teens in Fairfax County who experienced Depression in the past 12 months Females 35% Males 26%

20. Adolescent Girls • 20% of girls reported that they had considered suicide • 5% of girls attempted suicide • 14% of females reported some unhealthy weight loss behavior in the past 30 days

21. Depression/Considered Suicideby Race/Ethnicity - Countywide Similar to national trends, races/ethnicities other than White are more likely to report feeling depressed and considering suicide

22. Actual Participation in Extracurricular Activities Once a Month or More

23. How can we create opportunities that tap into the resiliency in all of us?

24. Everyone’s Got Basic Human Needs

25. Resiliency Traits in All of Us • Cooperation • Empathy • Problem-Solving • Self-Efficacy • Self-Awareness • Goals, Dreams, Hopes We learn and develop through experience using these traits.

26. Resiliency: We are who we are BECAUSE of not in spite of

27. The Biggie: Locus of Control • Do you control your destiny or are you controlled by it? • Is it what you do or events that happen to you that alter your life path? • Is it about being at the right place at the right time? NOTE: Internal LOC can be learned through experiences. Balance is key- You need the other traits to keep the balance

28. Resiliency Ponderings: How can we insert opportunities to use resiliency traits in all domains?

29. When compared to youth who do NOT report depressive symptoms, youth who report depressive symptoms are: • More likely to have used drugs and alcohol • More likely to have skipped school • Twice as likely to report binge drinking • Seven times more likely to report considering suicide • Twice as likely to have first had sex before the age of 12 • Twice as likely to have been in a fight