For Teens & Young Adults

For Teens & Young Adults on the Search for Their True Selves

(page Very Much Under Construction)

Explanation of this Page:

Some people spend their whole lives trying to discover their “true selves.” Society / lots of people knowingly or unknowingly get in the way of that. This results in a chronic feeling of loneliness, varying degrees of physical & mental health challenges, and the profoundly distressing feeling of misunderstood.

My true self is most comfortable delivering useful content to young kids and their parents. I’m not cool / never have been cool, so really don’t know what’s all that appealing to teens & young adults. But I once was a teen/young adult, and remember the importance of stumbling upon resources on my own without any commentary / intervention from adults (who didn’t understand me anyway).

In that spirit, I am going to dump some resources all in one place that maybe, just maybe, could be useful to people. 

 

general commentary:

In retrospect, I wish someone had told me the following:

  • There are people who think, communicate, and live their lives the way you do. They’re just not necessarily in your town or your school. Good news: it’s 2021. You can find your people ANYWHERE in the world. Where to look? Twitter, Instagram, Discord, YouTube, etc. Search for hashtags of topics you’re interested in. It’s less hard than you think. 
  • What do you genuinely like doing? Look for people who genuinely do that thing. Look on social media. Check out Meetup.com to find real-life opportunities if you want. 
  • Choose events that are geared toward the interaction style you prefer. If you prefer side by side/parallel play type of interactions, find a workshop / lecture / performance / class since those formats; social norms are such that generally there is no expectation or pressure to interact. 
  • Find a mental health therapist. Everyone should have one. It’s a total myth that your mental health needs to be reach a certain level of severity before you reach out. Part of adulting is reaching out for help. You can search clinicians’ bios / insurance / location / telehealth vs. in-person on Psychology Today –> “Find a Therapist.” The most important thing is finding the right “fit.” You may need to try a few different therapists before you meet The One. Your goal is to find someone you’re comfortable being honest with AND whom you genuinely feel better after each interaction AND you genuinely look forward to seeing. 

 

Resources:

YouTube

 

Blogs & Websites of Exploration

 

Books & Book Collections

 

Advocacy Groups & Resources

 

Virtual Support Groups & Chat Spaces