Kathy Ireland Shines a Light on the 'Terrifying' Anxiety Crisis of America's Youth in 'Anxious Nation' (Exclusive)
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"It's not a one-size-fits-all answer," the CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide told PEOPLE ahead of presenting the documentary's premiere live-stream event on May 3
Kathy Ireland is helping to highlight the anxiety crisis in the United States, specifically among young people, in honor of May's Mental Health Awareness Month.
The global entrepreneur and Sports Illustrated supermodel is presenting Anxious Nation by The New York Times best-selling author Laura Morton, which explores and captures the many faces and facets of anxiety.
The feature-length documentary film, which premieres virtually on May 3, delves into the crisis of mental health and anxiety in America by highlighting stories of a diverse group of people ages 11 to 26.
Ireland, 60, an executive producer on the film, discussed the potentially crippling condition exclusively with PEOPLE.
"I really believe that our nation and our communities, whether we're talking about cities or villages, we're in a state of crisis and it's impacting young people in ways that truly are terrifying," Ireland tells PEOPLE of the gravity of the situation. "It's not a one-size-fits-all answer."
"Kids' education, it's a passion," Ireland adds, noting that she has mentored programs around the world for children for over 30 years and served as the National PTA Ambassador for Youth. UCLA has even named Ireland as one of the top 10 women's health advocates in the U.S.
"When somebody is going through this, the whole family suffers," she shares, "and people feel isolated, they feel alone. There's this stigma of shame and it's just awful what people go through."
"So what I love about Anxious Nation," she says of the film project, "it courageously highlights several young people and their journeys along with their parents. Everyone is different. And the solutions are going to be different for different people. And I really appreciate how that's addressed."
Related:Yolanda Hadid Shares Advice She Gives Her Kids About Managing Their Mental Health
One of those journeys comes from co-producer and co-director Laura Morton, who shared with PEOPLE how the project came to fruition: "I'm the mother of an anxious child," she said.
Morton's deep love for her daughter Sevy, 14, — and her determination to help ease her daughter's struggle — made her empathize with other families who are suffering. She decided to make a difference.
"I wanted to make the film that I wanted and needed as a parent," she says, noting how many films will throw in a couple of celebrities or celebrity kids. "But I knew that wasn't the film that other mothers and I wanted."
Morton is adamant about making people "feel seen and heard and acknowledged." She credits Oprah Winfrey as part of her inspiration: The talk show host once said that every guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-2011) had one thing in common: "They wanted to be acknowledged."
Morton, a New York native and single mom, says she was "feeling really defeated as a parent. I felt like I was failing my daughter. Sevy had been "struggling with anxiety for years, and it seemed like everything that I was doing to help her, she just didn't seem to be getting any better."
Turning to crowd-sourcing and Facebook groups, Morton says she received "short replies" when she asked if anyone else was experiencing these issues at home with their kids.
"But then private messages started coming in, and they were coming in from people that I knew well, people that I socialized with, not just like, you know, air quoting 'Facebook friends' and people I, I go to dinner with on a Saturday night," she says. "And I had no idea that what was happening in our home was happening in their home. And in some cases they were dealing with it exponentially worse than I was. But we never talked about it."
A lifelong storyteller, Morton has written books for Melissa Etheridge and Joan Lunden (who is also a moderator for the May 3 virtual premiere). She knew she had to do something after hearing from so many other parents. "And so I made the decision to make the film."
Also speaking to PEOPLE, Dr. Harold Kopolowicz, one of the nation's leading child psychiatrists who appears as an expert in the film, explained the severity of untreated anxiety in children.
"Anxiety is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in children, and yet up to 80 percent of kids with an anxiety disorder don't get the treatment they need," he says. "Left untreated in childhood, anxiety disorders often grow more severe, impairing functioning and causing unnecessary suffering. It is vital to remember that anxiety disorders are real, common and treatable and that the right care can change the trajectory of an anxious child's life."
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Ireland also brought up the difference between her generation and younger generations. "We didn't really ask a lot of questions, and it's like, 'what are we putting in our bodies?' And not only what are we putting in our bodies, but 'what are we filling our heads with? What are we listening to? What are we watching? What's going on, what are we taking in?' Because all that has an impact too."
As for how Ireland has personally dealt with difficult times, she stresses the importance of having priorities and honoring them.
Related:What's the Difference Between Anxiety and Depression?
"My priorities are what helped me so much. And it's my faith — that has to come first," she shares. "And then it's my family and then it's being of service in the work that I do. And when those priorities are out of order, I'm a mess. I'm no good at anything. My coping skills are gone. And I really encourage people to put up boundaries. So figure out what your priorities are. Put boundaries in place to protect them because they will be challenged."
"I was 40 years old before I learned that 'no' was a complete sentence. I mean, 'no thank you' is better," she adds.
Anxious Nation will premiere virtually on May 3 at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET and in select theaters nationwide and Anxious Nation virtual cinema on May 5.
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