Problems: Living through social uncertainty in a sedentary society teens and young adults are dealing with severe stress, depression, and anxiety. Many take sport or substances to resolve stress, but this approach leaves youth with physiological issues that interfere with their ability to start building their lives successfully as productive adults.
In spite of advancements in youth sports participation, and the taking of nutritional supplements, medications, and "recreational" substances in order to resolve stress, recent statistics suggests that the level of stress in our youth continues to increase.
According to the CDC, 25% of surveyed adults aged 18–24 reported experiencing suicidal thoughts in the past 30 days, as of June 2020. And, according to the 2019 Youth Risk Survey, in our local New Trier School District, one in three students — more than twice the national average — self-reported binge drinking in the previous 30 days.