Why is being a teenager so difficult? We recognize that in this day and age people are trivialized and patronized for their trials and tribulations, leading to stigma in society. People have a fear of being judged, being perceived as an attention seeker, and other apprehensions which ultimately leads to the silencing of mental health awareness. In terms of brain development and body chemistry, dealing with stress really is harder mentally and emotionally for teens. The frontal lobe of the brain isn’t fully developed, making it harder to find a clear identity and purpose. Teens have hormonal changes causing mood swings. To top it off, there is an overload of pressure to be good enough placed on teens by adults and peers. Through our own experiences, we have identified the difficulty in finding a community to talk openly about hardships, educating oneself about mental health, and finding ways to seek help.
How do I use urstorymatters and its various sections? Our intention is to create a safe haven for teenagers who are going through their own unique issues and to break the mental health stigma by connecting with others who go through similar struggles. On Urstorymatters, anyone has the freedom to post in order to get their authentic story out online and for others to reply with reassurance and understanding. Secondly, we provide informative articles to educate our viewers and inspire a healthier, happier lifestyle. Thirdly, we made a platform for virtual support groups with different categories to have the opportunity to meet people who might be facing something similar to you or help someone in need. Fourthly, once you create an account, you become a member of urstorymatters and can follow and chat with other members. Finally, we post video interviews with engaging and entertaining conversations where real people share their truths and instill courage and encouragement to be vulnerable.
How can sharing my story be helpful? We are both big advocates for storytelling because it facilitates vulnerability and transparency. Whether you’re sharing a personal story about the loss of a loved one or a vent of frustration, you will find satisfaction from releasing pent up emotions and thoughts. Through Urstorymatters, you can connect with the experiences and mental processes of others. Storytimes help reflect on experiences, create empowerment instead of shame, remove internalized stigma, and free the soul, heart, and mind. We highly encourage you to not only share your own stories, but also to interact with other people through commenting on their stories with advice, questions, and supportive comments to help us with our goal of constructing a supportive and welcoming environment.
What is the intention behind urstorymatters? Urstorymatters combines entertainment, information, storytelling, and inter-user communication to remind high schoolers that they’re not alone and that they are allowed to share their adversities in this community without feeling judged. We want Urstorymatters to be a place that will be there for you when you feel isolated, silenced, and misunderstood by the world. When you’re in the mental state where you are determined to be the best version of yourself possible, we want you to read our informative articles to assist you in achieving that goal. When you need something to mindlessly watch as an attempt to seek hope, we want you to know you can come here to watch our videos about how others just like you gained strength. When you feel like you are bursting with emotions, but have nobody to talk to, we want you to get your story off your chest by sharing it on Urstorymatters. When you want to make new friends and have meaningful conversations, hop onto our virtual support groups. When you feel the desire to give back and connect with others, please leave supportive comments on other people’s stories. We created a versatile site with the values candor, comfort, and support in mind. We want to be whatever you need us to be in the moment because we are here for YOU.
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What are the privacy policies of urstorymatters? Due to our high number of story submissions, we require those who want to share their story to sign up for an account. Registration is required for posting content so that everyone can share their story freely and it can upload immediately. Signing up can still keep your anonymity as you can change your name to anything you want. The name you choose to present yourself as will be shown on the website towards all of our site visitors. However, your email will not be disclosed or used. You can also make your account private by changing the privacy settings of your account settings. Disclaimer: the site owners are not responsible for the content in story submissions, we do not filter what is posted.
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