As we approach the end of May, I wanted to come back to recognizing it as Mental Health Awareness Month and share with you a short film that was truly an eye-opener. On May 20th, a three-part short documentary film series was released, “Mackenzie”. The event was free and open to all via YouTube, the series looks at the systemic issues contributing to the increasing rates of teenage depression, anxiety and suicide. If you have been following my blog and social media, you know that I dedicate space to bring mental health awareness and normalize it.
“Mackenzie” documents the real-life experiences of 17-year-old high school student Mackenzie as she struggles to keep up and perform well in her high-achieving school while privately coping with the accompanying depressive feeling that “my worth is a number out of 100.” Adolescents suffer from anxiety and depression now more than ever before. Between 2009 and 2017, rates of depression among kids ages 14 to 17 increased by more than 60% and doubled in those aged 20 to 21, according to a study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. At the same time, suicide has become the second leading cause of death for Americans aged 15 to 24, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
To sign up for the screening, visit www.straight-up-impact.com. Following the screening, the film will be available for viewing on Straight Up Impact’s YouTube channel.
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xoxo,
LA Mami,
Julie Lopez
