🌱 Feel It to Heal It: Why Youth Emotional Awareness Is More Urgent Than Ever

In a world where likes, filters, and endless scrolling often obscure our true feelings, emotional awareness has emerged as a silent yet empowering asset, especially for young people. It’s more than simply naming emotions; it’s about understanding, expressing, and navigating them healthily. As mental health challenges among youth rise globally, cultivating emotional awareness isn’t optional—it’s essential, and it puts you in the driver's seat of your mental well-being.

💡 What Is Emotional Awareness?

Emotional awareness is the ability to recognise and understand one’s own emotions and those of others. It’s the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, enabling individuals to manage their feelings effectively, communicate clearly, and build strong, lasting relationships. For youths, developing this skill is crucial for mental well-being, resilience and thriving.

How are you experiencing your emotions? Do you bottle things up and hope they disappear? Sometimes, talking with someone you can trust can be a good starting point. Emotions are not meant to be a source of sad news; they are a part of us, at least an internal experience that communicates what is essential to us within ourselves. The more we understand our feelings about certain things, the more whole we can become. A holistic lifestyle is the goal, though achieving it may not be straightforward; it is a necessary aspect of existence that allows a person to explore and engage with their self-actualising potentials lying dormant within, the essence of being here in the world.

🚨 The Youth Mental Health Crisis

Recent studies highlight a concerning trend: youth mental health is deteriorating. Factors such as academic pressure, social media, and global uncertainties contribute to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation among young people. For instance, studies (Primack et al., 2017, 2021) found a correlation between heavy social media use and increased depressive symptoms in adolescents.

Why should social media be the facilitation of online symptom diagnosis? These symptoms do not necessarily constitute a diagnosis. For instance, a necessary level of anxiety is normal. These symptoms may relate to natural problems, ranging from basic human needs to adapting to stressful situations, the struggle for survival, or a profound need for human connection.

Unfortunately, existential issues, often concerning the human need to be understood, are frequently associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression, to name a few. While these may be an accurate diagnosis for some, when sought from an appropriate professional, these tend to serve as a comforting resolution that is socially certified through trending videos. However, these social online diagnoses can diminish the natural essence of striving to understand oneself, as well as taking the responsibility of investing time and effort in activities that enhance one’s well-being.

📱 Social Media: Double-Edged Sword

Social media offers a connection but also presents challenges. Constant exposure to curated lives can lead to unrealistic comparisons and a diminished sense of self-worth. The “looking-glass self” concept explains how individuals shape their self-image based on others’ perceptions, a phenomenon amplified by social media platforms.

The need to be connected socially on social media is positive for maintaining friendships and networks. Still, it can detract from the beauty of simplicity and the sheer joy of physically engaging in fundamental human interactions and communications that can alleviate issues like social anxiety. Although users may have access to readily available information, the risk of encountering inadequate or misleading information, alongside potential pressure to conform to unsafe ideas, is a danger associated with social media. It calls for a balance of what is in one’s best interest.

🛠️ Building Emotional Awareness: Tips for Youths

1. Recognise Your Emotions: Start by identifying what you’re feeling. Is it sadness, anger, joy, or fear? Naming emotions is the first step toward understanding them. Although some feelings can be overwhelming, numbing and running away from them is also not the best idea, as it can lead to a dilemma for your long-term well-being.

2. Understand What Triggers: Reflect on what causes these emotions. Understanding triggers helps in managing reactions. Allowing oneself to reflect is not a bad thing, as it is a natural part of the growth process. Refusing to allow reflection is akin to breathing and holding one’s breath simultaneously while maintaining a smile. It can invite subtle conflicts within oneself, even though you say everything is going well. Everyone deserves a chance to understand themselves and what triggers old wounds, because one’s history may hold the solution that can heal for the future.

   
   

3. Express Your Feelings: Find healthy outlets, such as talking to someone, journaling, or engaging in creative activities, which can be therapeutic and help you manage your emotions. Expressing is breathing, engaging with oneself, and making connections within and beyond effectively.

   
   

4. Practice Mindfulness: Techniques like meditation can enhance self-awareness and emotional regulation. Mindfulness requires a certain level of self-acceptance, embracing who you are, regardless of your current state. Honesty with oneself can help you consider what is working or not, and your thoughts, sometimes, cannot be continually ignored.

5. Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out to trusted individuals or professionals when overwhelmed or to talk. Help is available somewhere in the world just for you.

   
   
   
   

🤝 Supporting Each Other

Creating an environment that encourages emotional expression without judgment can make a significant difference. Schools and communities can implement programs that promote emotional literacy, equipping young people with the tools to navigate their emotions effectively. These programs are not just tools; they are a warm embrace, a reassurance that you are not alone in your emotional journey.

Young people often lack space within their peer or family environments to be themselves. However, this space is necessary for fostering a sense of belonging, alleviating loneliness, and other vital aspects that support development. Choosing friendship groups that check in on each other may be a new call. Entering romantic relationships and seeking intimacy in the pursuit of closeness is not always the best solution. What's truly important is the warmth and acceptance from peers and acquaintances, which is a crucial first step towards building genuine connections. And genuine connections make you feel valued and appreciated.

🌍 A Call to Action

Imagine dedicating a day to focus solely on emotional awareness—a day for reflection, expression, and connection. While there’s no official “Emotional Awareness Day,” integrating such practices into daily life can foster a culture of empathy and understanding.

Emotions are not weaknesses but signals guiding us through life’s complexities. By embracing emotional awareness, young people can cultivate resilience, foster meaningful connections, and navigate the world with confidence.

Join the conversation:

• Share your thoughts on emotional awareness using #FeelItToHealIt.

• Encourage schools and communities to prioritise emotional literacy programs.

• Support initiatives that promote mental health awareness among youth.

  
  
  
  

Empower the youth. Embrace emotions. Elevate well-being.

Another Hope Counselling offers a space to talk, and nothing is too trivial to talk about.

References

Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Escobar-Viera, C. G., & Fine, M. J. (2021). Temporal

Associations Between Social Media Use and Depression. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 60(2), 179–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.09.014

Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., Lin, L. yi, Rosen, D., Colditz, J. B., Radovic, A., & Miller, E. (2017). Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010