Birmingham Seaholm Hosts Free Screening Of 'Angst'

BIRMINGHAM, MI – Birmingham Seaholm High School will hold a free screening of “Angst” on Wednesday Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. This screening is open to the public and is sponsored by Collegewise Detroit, and Birmingham Public Schools. Parents are encouraged to attend with children ages 10 and above.

IndieFlix and its non-profit arm, the IndieFlix Foundation, recently released its latest documentary and virtual reality experience, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety” to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety with an emphasis on youth and families.

The film features candid interviews with children and young adults discussing their anxiety and its impact on their lives, along with a special interview with Michael Phelps, a mental health advocate and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. The documentary includes discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, as well as help, resources and tools.

"We felt it was important to make a movie that could raise awareness to open up the conversation and provide hope," said producer and IndieFlix CEO, Scilla Andreen. "So many people struggle with anxiety and have trouble talking about it. We want to change that."

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Following the film, Dr. Gretchen Moran Marsh, licensed clinical psychologist, will share quick tips and resources on how to manage anxiety and open the floor for discussion.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge in the U.S., impacting 54 percent of females and 46 percent of males, with age seven being the median age of onset, according to the World Health Organization. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only one-third of those suffering receive treatment. Everyone involved in the development of “Angst” has a personal experience with anxiety – from the producers to the interviewees.

"The conversation surrounding mental health really hits home for me. Many people don’t understand how debilitating mental illness truly can be, and even more than that, how common it is, yet people are afraid to have the serious discussions about it," said Michael Phelps. "I welcomed the opportunity to be a part of ‘Angst’ to further the dialogue around mental health and to help people understand the impact anxiety has on our mental state and encourage people, especially kids, to ask for help."

“In our world there is a stigma attached to mental health disorders,” adds Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute. “People see anxiety as a personal failing rather than a medical condition; they see it as something to be ashamed of, rather than something to be treated. In reality, anxiety is universal. It doesn’t discriminate — and it’s very treatable. We just need to acknowledge it and talk openly first.”

Photo and movie clip courtesy of IndieFlix Foundation