Parents: Please consider the following if you are unsure whether or not to bring your high schooler to the program: the film is designed to be shown to both female students and female parents; plan to discuss or process the information afterwards in a way that works for your child. In the film, students discuss their own experiences with anxiety and depression and how they are coping in ways that help. If you think your child is experiencing anxiety, depression, and /or panic attacks, this film may be especially helpful for them to see as it provides an understanding of why anxiety happens in our bodies and shows there is help and hope for treating its symptoms. The film can be a wonderful way to start a conversation between parents and teenagers.
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 23, 2019 - This coming Monday night, October 28th, from 8:00 PM at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, women of the Baltimore community will be privileged to have the opportunity to view Angst, a documentary on raising awareness around anxiety. The documentary is open to all females, high school age and higher. Men, and those who can not attend in person, may listen through the audio call-in line (click Angst ad on Baltimore Jewish life for the number). The documentary is closed- captioned for people who are hard of hearing. Resource sheets, brochures from local mental health organizations, and index cards for viewers to submit questions for a future community-wide panel discussion, will be provided.
Angst, which means persistent worry, is screened in schools and communities across the world. The IndieFlix original film is expected to reach more than three million people around the world, through 25,000 community and school screenings. It has been shown in Baltimore private schools, Howard County schools, and certain Jewish institutions such as JCCs and Yeshiva University high schools, among other institutions.
The main purpose of Angst is to open up conversations, especially for those who may have trouble talking about mental health, and to provide hope. Angst is a film where students describe, through their own eyes, the realities of living with anxiety and depression. It puts students at the forefront of sharing their stories through candid interviews and also helps parents recognize signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Teenagers share management techniques that work for them; their candidness and bravery is meant to inspire our community to do the same. In addition, the documentary provides discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, along with the help, resources and tools available to address these mental health issues.
The film also includes a special interview with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, a mental health advocate and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. "The conversation surrounding mental health really hits home for me,” said Phelps. “Many people don’t understand how debilitating mental illness truly can be, and even more than that, how common it is, yet people are afraid to have the serious discussions about it. I welcomed the opportunity to be a part of ‘Angst’ to further the dialogue around mental health and to help people understand the impact anxiety has on our mental state, and encourage people, especially kids, to ask for help."
According to the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge in the U.S., impacting 54 percent of females and 46 percent of males, with age seven being the median age of onset. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only one-third of those suffering receive treatment. "Everybody needs to know that anxiety disorders are real, common and treatable instead of viewing them as a personal choice or something to be ashamed of,” said Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Director of Anxiety Disorders Center, Child Mind Institute. “Getting help early is crucial in giving people the tools they need to feel better. We just need to start the conversation."
