My research

My research topic was on the issues surrounding mental health, specifically teenage mental health and how this links to exercise. I wanted to research this to give me better background knowledge on how people are affected by mental health so I could talk about it in my blog, having a better understanding of how these issues impact young people's everyday lives. One area I investigated was what are some common triggers that increase teenagers' mental health to decline. I found that some of these included the pressure put on teens to succeed in studies such as getting accepted to university with good grades, with often teachers and parents pushing them in the direction of higher education from an early age. Another I found was the added stress of growing up in a time where social media plays such a big part in teenagers' everyday lives. With trends of increasing levels depression, anxiety and eating disorders often being majorly triggered by social media posts and accounts, for example Instagram models promoting unrealistic body images and unrealistic lifestyles. The combined stress of turning from a child into an adult whilst trying to balance studying, a social life and a work life makes for an incredibly stressful time. I then investigated some of the coping strategies teenagers turn to when dealing with mental health issues, especially the negatives so that I could promote the healthy copying mechanisms on my blog. I found that since most teenagers are often unaware of these issues until they are forced to face them, they try to tackle them without help. This often manifests itself in them turning to alcohol and drugs for an escape as these substances take away the pain for brief time periods however abusing drink and drugs will mostly result in mental health becoming worse not better and are also proven to interfere with prescribed medicines such as anti-depressants. Less talked about, more common unhealthy copying mechanisms include compulsive shopping and spending money on unnecessary items to feel a temporary high which is very unsustainable and can lead to financial problems which often people do not associate with depression. The final main part of research I did was on how the gym can improve mental health massively and how this can be a much healthier way out of your mind. Keeping active releases chemicals including serotonin and dopamine in your brain which affect your mood and mindset. The availability of gyms and how flexible it is to add a small amount of exercise into your daily routine makes it a convenient and healthy way to cope with your struggles. Many gyms now offer a 24-hour service for their users such as Pure gym and offer discounted fees for students. Universities have also now provided free gym access for certain courses and offer a gym pass to other students on campus, providing a place for you to go with friends or after classes. The gym can also provide a hobby and give young people another focus and a more sustainable routine, often searing people away from drink and drugs and keeping them out of trouble due to their shift in focus.