ANXIOUS NATION

ANXIOUS NATION is an important documentary about the anxiety that seems to be plaguing many young people today and offers some solutions for parents, grandparents and teenagers. ANXIOUS NATION has a strong moral worldview, but it does discuss some heavy topics and has brief foul language, so MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.

According to the movie, teenagers in the 1990s dealt with drinking, smoking and teenage pregnancy. Today, however, mental health issues are soaring, especially concerns about anxiety among teenagers, and even some children under 12 and as young as nine. Many factors play a role in this situation. For example, every person growing up has a different fear that pops up at unexpected times. Many do not know how to cope with their anxiety and their fears. The movie interviews some experts who say that a child’s anxiety may be a reflection of their parents’ own worries and anxious thoughts.

Older teenagers have had a growing problem with depression and suicide. One teenager in the movie had such deep depression that she tried to commit suicide. Her father found her and stopped her, and now she has found God and purpose in her life. Other storylines in the movie involve issues in the news such as stories about racism, violence, riots, and looting. Though the documentary doesn’t go into this, the media feeds on internet clicks and views, so negative news is honored and shown more often than positive stories. If teenagers or any person is focusing and watching the news rather than reading about the positive, it’s easy to go into a negative spin and mindset that can lead to anxiety and depression. The media has an influence, and we should hold news outlets accountabe to not honor the shooter by showing their photos and names, and not to just focus on the horrors of life, but also promote the good, the true and the beautiful. Meanwhile, social media outlets have made teenage girls and boys feel bad about themselves and think they need to change themselves in drastic ways.

ANXIOUS NATION has a strong moral worldview showing viewers how to deal with a society that’s filled with anxiety, fear and depression. One story shows a positive storyline of how a girl was saved by an attempted suicide and now has become a Christian. The movie stresses resources students can use when they’re dealing with mental health issues.

ANXIOUS NATION discusses some heavy topics, such as suicide, and has brief foul language. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children, but believes parents may gain some insight into the issues facing their children in today’s culture. We recommend going to our website at www.movieguide.org and buying a copy of THE CULTURE-WISE FAMILY by MOVIEGUIDE® Founder and Publisher Dr. Ted Baehr and legendary entertainer and Christian leader, Pat Boone.