Caring Minds

Researches

Team CM endeavors to draw the attention of teenagers to the mental well-being problems they may encounter in their lives. Even though some problems are rooted in the social environment or are hard to avoid for many reasons, it is still important to let them know that they are not alone. The research conducted could help our peers to be more aware of the hazard, and gain courage to reach out for help from our understanding shown in our research.

“During 2023's winter break, we talked to some of our friends about the perceived changes in our mental status during COVID-19. Their responses caught our attention, making us realize a large number of teenagers are suffering from mental challenges during the hard time.

We decided to conduct an in-depth research on how COVID-19 affected the mental well-being of teenagers in China by doing interviews, literature reviews, and applying sociological theories to explain the phenomenon.”

The notion that "excellent individuals control their emotions" is prevalent in the inspirational messages circulating in recent years. Many concepts convey the drawbacks of mental issues and teach us how to combat them. It seems like, as normal individuals, we shouldn't have mental problems. In reality, mental illnesses are like catching a cold for our minds – not as terrifying as imagined. However, societal biases and discrimination make it challenging for many to acknowledge mental illnesses, leading to the emergence of "stigma" among mental health patients.

Teenagers enter a period of becoming more aware of their relationships and emotions. We observed that many teens have struggled with unhealthy relationships since the other person in the relationship is unconsciously gaslighting them. Unfortunately, literacy about Gaslighting and PUA is unbelievably lacking in teenagers. It is urgent to make more adolescents aware of their twisted relationships and be prepared to escape from these relationships at any moment.