Summary: Approximately 30 percent of bullied teens say that they have felt sad for the past year; 22 percent of these teens say that they have considered suicide.Approximately 30 percent of bullied teens say that they have felt sad for the past year. And, 22 percent of these teens say that they have considered suicide. The good news is that this study also found that getting active four times a week can reduce these suicidal thoughts and actions by 23 percent. According to special guest and Certified Personal Trainer, Joey Thurman, "These teens might think that they don't have the ability to be active. They are ashamed to fail so they don't even want to try. The less they exercise, the more weight they gain, and the less athletic and powerful they feel." Fortunately, there are ways to make bullied teens feel more confident about exercise. "You have to start small," Thurman says. "These teens probably aren't going to want to exercise in public or places where they could get made fun of. But, they might like the idea of trying a hip hop dance DVD in the privacy of their basement, or taking a hike along a nature path. Or, a bullied teen might flourish in a self defense class or in a more alternative exercise class like a tap dance class. The idea is to help them understand that they have the right to be active... as well as the responsibility." Listen in as Thurman joins Naturally Savvy hosts, Andrea Donsky and Lisa Davis, to share more about the connection between bullied teens, suicide and exercise.
