Prevention & Mental Health Blog | BriteYouthBlog

THE BRITE BLOG

We share the voices, opinions and stories of many Ventura County youth and young adults here. Not all posts reflect the opinion of BRITE or our sponsors. Managed by Ashley Heatherly.

The Problems of Parents/Caregivers Providing Alcohol to Young Adolescents

A college student discusses the dangers of parents & caregivers normalizing alcohol use and allowing their kids to drink at home, especially while under 21.

Janette

Sep 30, 20243 min read

We see a row of off-white bathroom stalls with most of the doors open. It feels reminiscent of being in a school bathroom.

Can You See Me?

A poem by a Ventura County high school student about prejudice and how we often ignore the people around us who may be struggling.

Lucy

Sep 4, 20241 min read

A woman is face down on a white bed with her head on the pillow, face towards us. She holds a clear glass of brown liquid in one hand and appears to be passed out.

Hiding Behind Alcohol

A young adult tells the story of how her difficult childhood led to alcohol use disorder, and how she has recovered and turned her life around.

Anonymous

Aug 14, 20243 min read

A hand is outreached with its palm turned up as if it's receiving something, while another hand is holding a red heart as if it's offering the heart to the other hand.

The Ending Of Hatred

A poem written by a high school student about leading with love instead of hatred.

Lucy

Aug 12, 20241 min read

We see a screen grab of the Cannabis FactCheck website. The text reads, "What you need to know about teen cannabis use and vaping."

Resource Highlight: Cannabis FactCheck

An overview of the new Cannabis FactCheck website and resources available for teens, parents, and caregivers.

Ashley H

Jul 11, 20242 min read

We see a gray car smashed against a tall brown tree. The driver's side door is open, the front of the car and the hood are entirely smashed.

Take Your Life Back

An adult discusses her experience dealing with trauma with alcohol, getting a DUI, and turning her life around.

Anonymous

Jul 8, 20242 min read

A young person is sitting at a desk with purple headphones on, writing in a notebook. The desk is covered in trinkets, crystals, and notes. The writer is bathed in a soft, pink glow.

The Letter

A college student describes her experience growing up as a child of parents with alcohol use disorder and the effects it has had on her life and relationships in a love letter to a friend.

Anonymous

Jun 14, 20244 min read

A young person sits in a jail cell with their hands handcuffed. The jail cell bars are casting a long shadow over the negative space of the photo.

How Did This All Begin?

An incarcerated adult tells the story of their struggle with substance use disorder and how they ended up in jail.

Anonymous

May 30, 20242 min read

A light pink journal is lying on a white desk framed by the green leaves of a plant, a gold pen, and a black paper with small gold hearts on it. The journal reads, "Today I am grateful."

Gratitude: A Tool for Boosting Self-esteem

A college student discusses our culture's obsession with body image and the mental health benefits of practicing gratitude.

Madison Jaffe

May 29, 20242 min read

A young person of color is wearing a green graduation cap, a white top, and is looking up at the sky and smiling.

Life Goals

A poem about how important it is to achieve our goals.

Anonymous

May 29, 20241 min read

A group of young people are hanging out and each holding glasses of wine with different colored liquids in them. We can only see their bodies and mostly their arms/hands.

Peer Pressure & Alcohol

A college student discusses her experience with peer pressure and alcohol and why she chooses not to drink even though she's 21.

Anonymous

May 23, 20243 min read

A young person wearing ripped jeans and red Converse sneakers is standing on grey stone steps and picking up a very full backpack. We can see an iPad, notebook, and other school supplies coming out of the backpack.

An Educated School Girl

A high school student discusses her experience growing up dealing with the expectations that are placed upon her.

Lucy

May 1, 20242 min read

A group of young people are partying and drinking alcohol. One girl has her head leaned back while someone pours a bottle of dark brown alcohol into her open mouth. We get the impression of a complete lack of inhibition.

Reality Parties for Parents: A Parent’s Perspective

A parent discusses her experience letting her kids drink underage, and the valuable lessons she learned while attending our Reality Party for Parents.

Anonymous

Apr 15, 20242 min read

An illustration of a person with long hair on one side of their head and vapors coming out of their head on the other side. The text reads, "Hidden Danger."

Hidden Dangers of Turning Away

A teen discusses vaping from a teen perspective, why it is addictive, and what we can do to prevent teens from starting to vape.

Anonymous

Mar 27, 20244 min read

A black and white image of a pair of hands tightly grasping the bars of a prison cell.

Help for the Chained Hands, Minds, and Hearts

A high school student discusses the harms of incarceration and why we need more mental health support instead of prisons.

Lucy

Mar 15, 20242 min read

A young woman sits on a couch holding a beer bottle in her right hand. Her left hand is covering her face as if she is ashamed or upset. There are several other empty beer bottles in the foreground.

Alcohol Use Disorder: From the Perspective of the Alcoholic, Interview 3

A college student interviews a friend about her experience with alcohol use disorder and her struggle with addiction.

Anonymous

Mar 14, 20245 min read

On the left is a picture of a hand holding a smart phone with lots of little red heart icons popping up to symbolize social media "likes"; on the right is an image of a person at a party smoking cannabis.

Social Media’s Influence on Teen Cannabis Use

A college student discusses the impact of social media on teens' use of cannabis, plus the harms of cannabis use on the developing teen brain.

Anonymous

Feb 27, 20244 min read

An illustration of a person of color with long curly brown hair and expressive brown eyes.

Black History

A high school student discusses the complications of Black history being promoted while Black people and other people of color are still experiencing racism and violence in our country.

Anonymous

Feb 9, 20241 min read