NOW IS THE TIME TO BE CONNECTING THE DOTS

Connecting the Dots understands the youth mental health crisis.

Jonathan Haidt who wrote the book “The Coddling of the American Mind” was on the Joe Rogan Experience a few years ago and said there was a surge of young girls who were admitted to the hospital for cuts and wounds.  These were attempts of suicide and self-destructive behaviour that has been a growing trend because of the rising use of Instagram.  Haidt cited as this being one of the many problems that are occurring within the youth of America which begs the question if this is happening all over the world?  Director Naomí Weis answers that question with an emotional and urgent film Connecting the Dots which brings the darkness of the youth’s mental health crisis to light.

As part of the Bell Let’s Talk and Workman Arts featured online on Hot Docs, the documentary shows, from all parts of the globe, how the young are struggling with their mental health.  Their scream for help is not being attended to as they are battling with depression, anxiety, suicide, sexuality, drugs and alcohol to name a few at an alarming and exponential rate that many of us don’t know where to start resolving this “global phenomenon”.  The courage that Naomí Weis has exemplified to document this epidemic and show the level of seriousness of this situation is a blessing because there is much work to be done about the world we have left to our youth.

Connecting the Dots primarily focuses on Nathan who is the number one mental health speaker in the US who has spoken in more than 750 schools and over 1 million children.  We follow him on his journey of focusing on the solutions of how to serve the youth who struggle with the stigma that surrounds their mental illness and having that open conversation.  Whether it is lecturing hundreds in a theatre or having this conversation with an individual in a safe space, Nathan makes sure that they are heard.  There is nobody who has done it better than Nathan because he has the time, courage and patience to make a difference in the lives of these young individuals.  His actions have gone to show that the current system has let down the youth of today as they are not as diligent as Nathan to seek out the truth and resolve these issues.  Rather it is just swept under the rug.

“As they have more idle time than older adults, younger people tend to react to the many or lack thereof posts likes, tweets, comments or followers.” -FERNTV

Technology is destroying today’s youth and it is harnessing all these negative and self-destructive behaviours.  The cell phone is the most prized possession amongst today’s youth as it is the end-all and be-all.  Just like older adults, we can’t live with it and we can’t live without it.  The young who possess these weapons of mass destruction do not comprehend how powerful it really is.  As they have more idle time than older adults, younger people tend to react to the many or lack thereof posts, likes, tweets, comments or followers.  This causes them to overthink and start doubting who they are causing isolation from friends and family to a dark place where they are unable to escape.  When Nathan asks a theatre of children whether or not they have experienced all these negative thoughts plus experiences and asks them to #raisetheirhand, it is absolutely mind-blowing that everyone does.

Director Naomí Weis raises the awareness of this “global epidemic” by having these young children create “visual diaries” where they voice their thoughts and feelings   This is done through the technology that is responsible for creating these problems.  Throughout this documentary, you see a copious amount of young people who record themselves and voice their shocking truth.  If it isn’t Nathan’s journey that will have you believe that there is a need for a call to action, then these “visual diaries” will hit you where it matters because it’s happening in your community and all over the world.   The “visual diaries” are not staged but it is setting the stage for re-evaluating the whole system.  Whether the focus needs to be set on the education system or simply the common household, all those dots need to be connected for changes to occur.

Now that we are in the middle of a pandemic, there is no question that this problem will become bigger and last longer.  The pandemic has magnified systemic racism, anxiety, depression, suicide, gender discrimination and sexual discrimination and it needs to be addressed because it has surmounted in today’s youth.   It is going to take a lot more Nathans to get at the bottom of this issue and find the proper solutions to roll out.  Now that many families are homeschooling their children all around the world, there is not a better time to get to know them and get at the root of the problem.   As mentioned in Connecting the Dots,  we need to find ways to prevent a crisis from happening in your own household.  The buck stops here and we are all accountable for our own future and today’s youth.

www.connectingthedotsfilm.com