It was a Friday afternoon a few weeks ago, and I was chafing. Perhaps you saw me. I was that 65-ish guy with sunglasses and a ball cap standing outside the REACH second-hand store in downtown Hazelwood. My lovely wife, my beautiful daughter and my spectacular three-month-old grandson are inside, browsing.

Universities and colleges across the United States are finding that an ever-increasing number of students are dealing with a variety of mental health issues, ranging from anxiety and depression to thoughts of suicide. 

Recent studies and surveys indicate that nearly 45% of college students nationally report symptoms of depression, while almost 40% report experiencing anxiety. Up to 15% of college students have contemplated suicide.

To The Editor:

Taking the long view of life, I love my God, my country, my family and friends, and really, just people in general. Like many of us, I go to bed at night and pray that God help our country to find its way in this current climate of division and fear and anxiety. 

Search online for “are more teens today suffering emotional problems,” and a boatload of websites pop to your command. Explore a few of these sites, and you’ll find psychologists and counselors of all kinds writing about the mental and emotional stresses faced by 21st century teens; 32% of these young people, for example, have an anxiety disorder, and 1 in 5 experience depression.  

When I became a parent for the first time, I asked my brother what to expect. He already had two small children and another on the way. 

“It’s overwhelming in every way,” he said.

He was right. It was, and it has been. They grew up too fast. That’s the oldest cliché in the book, but my God.

Editor’s note: This first part of this review was published in the July 24 edition of The Smoky Mountain News The evidence is clear that social media is not healthy for girls under the age of sixteen.

Are you, like many Americans, managing debt? What kind of debt are you managing: credit cards? Loans? For some people, the experience of managing debt may be daunting. There may be physical and psychological elements involved which may impact the debt management experience.

I carry a little anxiety. When I say a little, what I really mean is that I carry a lot of anxiety. I can truthfully say, I’ve never felt the full force of it in my body before well… now. 

Three years ago, few people had heard of cannabidiol (CBD). Now, it’s popular with all demographics. It’s even being used with cats and dogs. With an abundance of information floating around and a slew of products on the market, Kim Ferguson of Kim’s Pharmacy offers clarification and suggestions regarding CBD oil. 

By Wende Goode • Guest writer

Negativity surrounds us, is embodied in us.

Until a couple of years ago, I felt like I was a pretty positive person. Seeing the good in others, feeling good about life and my journey. One day this all changed. That day I realized that I had been lying to myself.