Angel Rios spends a lot of his time explaining why mental health is very important. His passion to share tips and tricks on how to care for oneself has led Rios to start his own podcast, make his own deck of cards, and be a speaker for kids.
Rios is from New York, but moved to Springfield with his grandma when he was younger.
He explains how important it is to take space because a person might learn something about themselves, but they still need time to process it. Having space is not always bad and speaking about why you need space is good communication.
Rios says writing difficult feelings down can also help.
“I believe when it comes to when you’re having a moment in your day where you're like -‘damn I’m having a bad day, or I’m not feeling good and I'm sad or down’”-, write it down on a piece of paper. Because when you write it down, you know, it makes it more real,” he said.
Rios said sometimes young people can feel trapped.
“If you are having a bad time with your mental health and you're in a bad home setting or don’t have the best parents and support system, (what you can do) is to accept and try to find good ways to help your health while you are there,” he said. “Just because you are there doesn't mean you have to settle for it.”
Social media can play a big role on how young people see themselves, Rios said, adding,“ when it comes to people and people that you follow, be mindful of what you're following.”
He said taking time away from social media can be good for your health, and that sometimes taking time for yourself isn’t bad and can be good for you. It doesn’t have to be a negative thing.
He concluded the conversation by explaining how important it is to love yourself and others.
“Don't judge people for how they look, because if you judge the book by its cover, that means you don't read and so therefore, just a observe.”