"I didn't know how to work through my anxiety and I felt overwhelmed"

Salma describes her adolescence as a roller coaster of emotions that was not always easy to manage. A childhood marked by family instability can affect a person's emotional well-being and, as in Salma's case, cause episodes of stress and anxiety . She explains that she was carried away by emotions such as fear and anger. "I believed that by hurting myself I would be able to free myself from the anguish I was carrying."

She is one of the protagonists of the testimonial video campaign of the youth community BeHenka , which is part of the Henka project, promoted by the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children's Hospital , Solidaritat Sant Joan de Déu , SOM Salut Mental 360º and Z Zurich Foundation . The young people who star in the campaign explain different experiences with resilience and emotional well-being and talk about situations that have generated discomfort for them such as social pressure on social networks, losses or complex family situations.

In 4th grade of ESO, Salma had to learn to overcome new obstacles and manage the emotional discomfort that accompanied her during adolescence. Luckily, the protagonist of this story found, at high school, a sensitive, attentive and available tutor, and this figure became, without knowing it, a great emotional support for her. "It helped me a lot to know that I was not alone in this struggle." Now, Salma has better tools to manage anxiety, such as talking about it, doing activities that make her feel comfortable or, simply, doing nothing and listening to her body.

Salma's case is an example of the importance of detecting emotional problems and the positive role that youth role models such as family or teachers can play as agents of prevention and care. Youth role models, such as teachers, are key to the good emotional health of people, especially the youngest, who find themselves in a time of many changes, challenges and opportunities, but also of great vulnerability.

Follow the BeHenka community on the Instagram channel @Be_Henka .