The risk factors we paid close attention to included academic pressures, social rejections, and history of medical conditions. 

-Academic pressure can become a risk factor when there are certain expectations and requirements needed to succeed that overwhelm you. These situations can be related to toxic school environments as well as high demand external activities such as clubs and sports. 

-Social rejection is the feeling of not being accepted into situations around you and not being able to make a connection with the people surrounding you. This can lead to lower self esteem and an overall loss of confidence making people feel anxiety in future interactions with others. 

-History of medical conditions can also become the foundational build of anxiety. Mental health disorders such as thyroid disorders, certain hormonal imbalances due to conditions such menopause, genetic metabolic disorders like Wilson's disease, and specific genetic variations that can predispose a person into encountering anxiety disorders in their lifetime. 

Some of the protective factors we analyzed included showing mindfulness tactics to calm nerves, a strong support system, adequate rest, reflections, and recreational activities. These activities were associated with a lower likelihood of negative outcomes from risk factors or reduce a risk factor’s impact.

-When it comes to mindfulness tactics, our team focused on goal setting - both short and long term goals, getting healthy exercise to ease the body, grounding techniques, and taking intentional breaks from social media. These tactics were specifically targeted towards reducing stress levels that cause anxiety. 

-Strong support systems are also a very effective protective factor for anxiety. Knowing that someone is there for you no matter what gives individuals reassurance and confidence to become more in control with their anxiety. In our campaign we included Find It Friday, where we encouraged people in our community to reach out to those around them who displayed symptoms of anxiety and to lend a listening ear. 

-Adequate Rest is also a very crucial mindfulness tactic. Having just 20 minutes to relax each day can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. In those 20 minutes, doing a simple yet recreational activity is also very effective. 

-Our team also recommended individuals to use self reflection as a way to calm down and practice mindfulness when it comes to anxiety. Sometimes taking a moment to reassure yourself that you are doing a great job, can go a long way for your self esteem and stress levels. 

-Recreational activities, such as taking a walk, going out with friends, or reading a book are all great ways to unwind and relax yourself. These simple yet fun activities can trigger dopamine and make individuals feel less anxious.