It just makes my body just like,
stop everything that is
doing and just break down.
I was like, hyperventilating.
I was like, I can't breathe and
I was going on and she was like,
I think you're having a panic attack.
Anxiety is like worrying about show shadow.
We just watched a clip from the
new documentary Anxious Nation.
The idea for this film was started by
a single question asked on Face.
It said Kids and Anxiety,
Who's dealing with it?
San Diego and Laura Morton wrote that on
Facebook, and the response was astonishing.
Laura's an author as well as producer
and codirector of Anxious Natio.
She's joining us right here on the floor
along with her daughter, Sevi Morton.
A student at Torrey Pines High School.
First of all, thank you both for joining us.
Appreciate your time right here on the floor.
Well thank you so much for having us.
Glad you're here because this is
such a hugely important topic.
And Laura, let's just jump right on in here.
You put that post on Facebook.
What was the response?
I did. I put that post on Facebook in 2018.
So this was pre COVID and it the
response was shocking to me bece
I thought what was happening inr
house was only happening in our house.
I was feeling really defeated as a parent.
I thought I was completely failing my child.
We had been struggling with her
anxiety in her home her entire .
Really started noticing when she was around
3:00, but nobody could tell us what it was.
And so I just threw it out into
the universe and out into the,
you know, the Facebook communit.
And people responded it.
It was like that one post gave people
permission to start talking abot
what was happening in their home, too.
It
is interesting that these things
are happening with our children.
We don't feel comfortable asking
anybody else about it because
you're wondering are you alone n
this or is this something and tn
here you are uncovering somethig
that so many people can relate .
You really explore this in the film, Laura.
Talk about the anxious nation
and what you dive into.
Sure. Well, you know the the whe
point of doing the the film was because
I knew if our family was strugg,
I couldn't imagine how other
families were getting through t.
And so I really wanted to
understand anxiety better.
I wanted to understand why it shows up.
I wanted to understand what we
can do about it when it does.
And I think I also really,
when we set out to make the fil,
I wanted to know if we were acty
more anxious or just more aware of it.
And I think of course, in 2023,
I think we all know the answer s
we are definitely more anxious.
But we explore everything from e
nurture nature debate to externl
things that are impacting all o,
but especially our kids.
School shootings, eco anxiety,
FOMO, social anxiety,
things that they deal with,
you know, at all ages.
And we also take a hard look ate
parents contribution to anxiety.
What do we do as parents?
Out of a pure place of love thae
think we're doing the right thi,
that might be contributing and
and adding on to their anxiety.
So, so many important topics covered.
So your mom just mentioned
that you had been sort of
struggling this since age 3.
You're 14 years old now.
I think parents always want to
say it must be social media,
it must be too much YouTube for.
Can you pinpoint what was ever
the cause of your anxiety?
I think there's so
many different causes causes of
anxiety and for me it changes so much
because anxiety is a shapeshift.
And I think it's different
for everyone as well.
And I know for me recently it's
been friend issues, social medi,
body image, all of that.
But I think that's also so
common in so many people my age.
Yeah, I think that for a lot of teenagers,
I my heart really especially gos
out to girls between the ages
of about 9 all the way through,
you know, well into college,
just the pressure that's on our young ladies.
Have you ever found anything ths
helped you deal with it? Absolu.
Recently I've been finding that journaling
has been helping me a lot because it's like,
it's like writing down your fees
and instead of talking to people
because I know how difficult it
is to actually sit down and have
that conversation with a parent,
a teacher, a trusted adult,
a friend, whatever it might be.
So writing your feelings down is like getting
them out without having to say a word.
And if you want to burn it after
or throw it away.
So be it. You're
welcome to do that.
We were chatting in the green
room and you brought up somethig
that you do called your fives.
What? What's your fives?
So it's a way to help keep myself grounded.
When I feel like I'm in an anxiety attack
and it feels like it's going to last forever,
I think to myself, okay.
Is this going to matter in five seconds?
Yes. Is this going to matter
in 5 minutes? Absolutely.
Is this going to matter in five hours?
Maybe 5 days, five weeks, five years,
five months and so on, right?
That's a really good and
really healthy way to look at
something that's bothering you.
At the moment we only have about
30 more seconds here, but Lord,
were you able to identify soluts
to all of this in this film?
You know, anxiety is not a
one-size-fits-all problem and therefore
it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
But I think if you watch Anxious Nation,
I think that there are so many d
takeaways for families and for s
on things that they can do right now,
things they'll have access to
simply by watching the film.
Raising awareness, starting a conversation,
creating a common language among
the families and really inspiri.
Taking action.
I love that Okay.
So this is such an important fi,
not just for parents to watch,
but really with their teenagers,
it sounds like For sure.
Absolutely.
I want people to know where you can find it,
and we'll put some information on our screen.
Of course you can go to anxiousnation.com,
that's the website.
But coming up Monday, May 15th,
there's a screening. In fact,
two of them right here in town at 7:00 PM.
The first one is at the Angelica Film Center.
That's in Carmel Mountain, the Senate.
Second one is at the Reading
Cinemas Town Square,
and that's in the Claremont community.
So if you can make it out to one of those,
do so. If you want other informn
on where you can see the film,
go to anxiousnation.com.
Ladies,
thank you for your time.
Thank you. Thank you.
Sevi and I will be doing a panet
the screening in Carmel Mountai.
So come on out and you have a
chance to ask us any questions.
We would love to meet anybody wo
wants to come and see the film.
We'll see you there on the 15.
Thank you. Great idea. Thanks.