True or False
False. Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 24 report a mental disorder, substance abuse or learning disability. Between 15 and 20 percent of the Canadian adolescent population suffers from a mental disorder at one time or another.
Illnesses such as Social Anxiety Disorder are Learned Behaviours .
False. No book, classroom, teacher, parent, home environment, wrong crowd, or fly-by-night theory can ‘teach’ someone how to have a mental health disorder. Mental illness is a biological problem.
Name 3 places/people/things you can go to for help if you are having a hard time or think you might have a mental health problem.
Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
What percent of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence? 25? 70? 10?
70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence.
People with mental illnesses will not get better.
False. Once diagnosed, mental illness is treatable. While it is not usually “cured”, it can be effectively managed. Most people with mental disorders live productive and positive lives while receiving treatments for their mental illness.
1 in 4 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
False. 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
If you find the right words to say can you help your friend lose their mental illness?
Temporarily you can make them feel better, but you can't fix their health on your own. You can be a huge support for them, but ultimately you cannot fix everything.
eople with substance use problems are up to 3 times more likely to have a mental illness.
Mental disorders are a consequence of bad parenting or personal weakness.
False. The main risk factors for mental illness are not bad parenting or personal weakness but rather genetics, severe and prolonged stress (such as physical or sexual abuse), or other environmental influences, and brain chemistry.
Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
True. Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
Name 3 things you can do to help a friend who thinks they may have a mental health problem.
Listen to what they have to say, be open minded (don't turn away how they feel), encourage them to seek help, tell them they're not alone, tell them resources they can use and how they can get help from professionals if needed.
Men have higher rates of addiction than women, while women have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders.
If someone in your family has a mental illness, you are more likely to develop one as well.
True. Although you will not necessarily develop any kind of mental illness, if someone in your family has a mental disorder you will be at higher risk.
About 3% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).
False. About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).
In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.
Tobacco, the most widely used addictive substance, is the leading cause of premature mortality in Canada. Smoking is responsible for nearly 17% of all deaths.
False. Depression is more than twice as prevalent in young women than men (ages 14–25 yr), but this ratio decreases with age.
20% of youth (ages 13-18) live with a mental health condition.
True. 20% of youth (ages 13-18) live with a mental health condition.
Kids and teens in certain situations can be at higher risk for mental illnesses and may also face additional barriers to getting help. What cultural backgrounds or certain situations would be at a higher risk for mental illnesses (Name 7)?
Young people with a family history of mental illness, new immigrants and refugees, aboriginal children and youth, young people who’ve gone through a major life change, young people who have faced or witnessed trauma (including abuse),gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth, young people with substance use problems.
People with mental illness and addictions are more likely to die prematurely than the general population. Mental illness can cut 10 to 20 years from a person’s life expectancy.