Teen Lifeline is issuing a gratitude challenge to teens in Fountain Hills. Teens are encouraged to think of three things they are grateful for everyday and post about them on social media.

As part of its commitment to enhance teens’ coping skills, the staff and volunteers at Teen Lifeline have created the “Think of Three,” or “T-o-3,” challenge to help teenagers with these trying times.

Research in the Journal of Positive Psychology shows gratitude exceeds other traits, such as forgiveness, patience and self-control in predicting hope and happiness.

In turn, researchers say increased hope can help reduce the thoughts of suicide. In an average year, Teen Lifeline volunteers respond to a significant increase in calls and texts between spring break and the end of the school year.

Since Arizona schools were closed in mid-March, calls and texts are exceeding annual projections by 10 percent – with the majority of calls to the hotline from teens struggling with thoughts of suicide or struggling with being confined to their homes and away from school and their friends.

“It’s already hard to be a teenager in today’s world,” said Nikki Kontz, clinical director of Teen Lifeline. “But the pandemic, social isolation and school closures are making it even harder for teenagers to cope.”

Unveiling the Think of Three challenge comes as the teenage suicide prevention hotline responds to an increasing number of calls from teens also feeling anxious about the future.

Prior to the pandemic, Arizona teens reported the sixth highest levels of feeling sad or hopeless compared to other states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s why peer counselors at Teen Lifeline are encouraging teens to consciously work on expressing their gratitude by taking the T-O-3 challenge.

As a visual reminder, Teen Lifeline is providing a free, downloadable PDF poster with teen-specific gratitude thought starters from its website. Thought starters on the poster encourage teens to remember what they are grateful for each day.

Teens and parents can download the T-O-3 poster at teenlifeline.org/to3.

Teens who are struggling in their lives are encouraged to call Teen Lifeline any time, day or night, seven days a week, at 602-248-8336 or 800-248-8336. The hotline is staffed by teen peer counselors from 3 to 9 p.m. daily. Trained counselors are available at all other times.

Teens also can text with a teen peer counselor at 602-248-8336. Texting hours have been expanded to noon to 9 p.m. while schools are out of session.