Benjamin Levsmall, a rising junior at SAR High School in Riverdale, has created a new podcast, “Your Life Sucks,” focusing on mental health issues specifically in teens. Guests of the show share stories about their personal struggles, and use their real names in order to further the goal of normalizing these types of situations and issues, and helping eliminate their stigma. The intent of the podcast is to create a culture of open discussion on relatable topics, and to show listeners that they do not need to be afraid to seek help or implement this dialogue in their day-to-day lives.

When COVID-19 struck, Levsmall, like many people, pondered the idea of taking up a new hobby. As someone passionate about the topic of mental health among teens, he began brainstorming with his parents about creative outlets through which he could get his message across in a fun, forward-thinking way. That’s when he had the idea to start a podcast. From there, he designed a logo, recorded his content, and got it approved by the Apple Store.

To date, Levsmall has conducted several interviews on the show with teens sharing their personal experiences. With guidance from Levsmall’s direct questions, the guests describe their ongoing battles with mental health in a way to which the audience can relate. At the end of the interview, a brief summary is given about the aspect of mental health that was touched upon by the guest in order to educate listeners on the issue. After soliciting feedback, Levsmall hopes to expand his viewership by bringing in new guests and branching out to incorporate additional facets of this subject.

If you would like to be a guest on the podcast, contact [email protected]. To tune in, find him on Spotify or Apple Podcast and help support the cause by following theyourlifesuckspodcast on Instagram.

Hannah Kirsch is a graduate of Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, New Jersey, and a summer intern at The Jewish Link.