Myth or Fact
True or false: Only people with a serious illness need to think about mental health?
False. Everybody has mental health, the same way everybody has physical health.
Which organ does the work when you think, feel, remember, and worry?
Your Brain
Can you name two feelings besides happy and sad.
Any two. Angry, sad, scared, excited, nervous, lonely, proud or embarrassed.
What word means treating someone unfairly for having a mental health struggle?
Stigma
Which calming skill means breathing in, holding, and breathing out?
Deep breathing
True or false: Talking about a bad feeling out loud usually makes it worse?
False. Saying a feeling out loud usually makes smaller and easier to handle.
What do we call the alarm system in your brain that yells danger before you can think?
The amygdala. Your brain's built-in alarm.
Where in the body do most people feel butterflies when they get nervous?
In the stomach
A friend is really down and someone says just get over it. Is that helpful?
No. Feelings do not have an off switch, and listening helps far more.
In five four three two one grounding trick, how many things do you look for first?
Five things you can see, then four that you hear, three you feel, two you smell, one you taste.
True or false: Kids and teens are too young to have real anxiety or depression?
False. Young people get them too, and help works at any age.
About how many hours of sleep does a middle or high school brain need?
Around 8-12 hours.
True or false: Some feelings are good feelings, and some feelings are bad feelings.
False. All feelings are okay. What you do with them is what matters.
Can you name two adults at school you could talk to if you felt really low?
Any two: Ms Cecelia, Ms Carlie, Ms Mandy, Mr John, Ms Abby, etc
Can you name two things you could do in five minutes to reset a rotten mood?
Any two: go outside, drink water, stretch, pet an animal, draw, play music
True or false: going to therapy means something is wrong with you?
False. Therapy is a place to learn skills, kind of like a coach for your feelings.
Which helps your brain most?
A) skipping meals
B) moving your body
C) Staying up gaming
B. Moving your body.
Can you name two signs your body gives you when anger is building up?
Any two: hot face, clenched teeth, clenched fist, fast heart rate, tight chest, loud voice
True or false: Mental health struggles are rare, so you probably know nobody with one?
False. Roughly one in five people deals with one, so you almost certainly do.
You feel like exploding. Is the best move
A) Yell
B) Take a break
C) Hold it all in
B) Take a break
True or false: Being strong means handling everything all by yourself?
False. Asking for help is one of the bravest things a person can do.
True or false: Your brain is finished growning by the time you reach middle school.
False. Your brain keeps building and rewiring itself in your mind into your mid twenties.
People say feelings are like waves. What does that comparison tell you about them?
They rise, they peak, and they pass. No feeling stays at full volume forever.
What is a kind thing to say to a friend who tells you they are struggling?
Something like: thanks for telling me, I am here for you and you are not alone. You are not weird for feeling this.
Why does writing down worries help get them out of your head?
Once they are on paper your brain can stop repeating them, so you do not forget.