In response to the rise in anxiety among teenagers, high school students watched “Angst,” a movie that illustrates the pressures and stresses of being a teenager.

IndieFlix’s “Angst” came out in May of 2017 and documents the struggles that many high schoolers deal with due to their anxiety. According to Dean of Students Roslyn Landy, the purpose of this movie is to bring awareness to the disorder.

Landy said that anxiety has become an escalated problem among high school students, partly due to social media and pressure from parents to get into top colleges. The administration and guidance counselors decided to show “Angst” to exert that students who are suffering from anxiety are not alone.

“The film emphasized the difference between specific anxiety, worrying about a test or making a speech, versus an anxiety disorder where the anxiety interferes with your ability to function as you would want to function,” Landy said. “The film also emphasized that there is help for people with anxiety.”

Sophomore and Mental Health Awareness Club member Davida Goldman thinks that, although informative about anxiety, OCD and exposure therapy, “Angst” did not delve deep enough into the different and less-known types of anxiety that exist.

“It’s difficult because at JDS they want to make sure every student knows, has the knowledge [about mental disorders], but at the same time they can’t force it on every student,” Goldman said.

To other students though, seeing the movie was beneficial. Another Mental Health Awareness Club member, junior Maya Cohen-Shields, believes that Angst correctly portrayed the experiences of having anxiety. did a good job of showing how people with anxiety feel.

“I think the stigma around it makes people feel like they are [alone] because they feel like they can’t talk about it and so I think that [the film] did really well in showing that, which I think is just really important,” Cohen-Shields said.

According to Landy, if a student ever feels like they need help regarding a mental disorder, JDS has resources for them. JDS’ two guidance counselors Melissa Gartner and Rachel Soifer are both licensed social workers and are available day and night, if necessary.

Even so, anxiety is still a pressing issue in the community.

“I have been at JDS for forty years and I think there is far more anxiety now than ever before.” Landy said.