Facts/Stigma
True/False: Mental Health and Mental Illness are the same thing.
FALSE
Mental Health: Everyone has it. It is your overall emotional and social well-being.
Mental Illness: A diagnosed medical condition. It disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, or daily function.
Understanding this difference can help reduce the negative stigma associated with mental health. EVERYONE has mental health.
True or False: Spending more time on screens can reduce stress and improve mental health.
False: Mindless scrolling on social media fosters a cycle of the "comparison game," directly lowering self-esteem and increasing symptoms of depression. (https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/habits-to-improve-mental-health)
Describe Box Breathing
Inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four. Repeat this cycle to physically slow down a rapid heart rate. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
True/False: Staying on time of homework and assignments can reduce stress.
True: Planing ahead of time and not leaving things until the last minute can make a big difference. Falling behind can make school feel overwhelming.
True or False: people with mental illness are likely to be violent and unpredictable.
People with mental health issues are no more violent than any other group in our society. In fact, people with mental illness are actually more likely to be the victims of violence than other groups. There is still stigma, discrimination, and biases perpetuated in the media and popular culture. (Source: Canadian Mental Health Association (n.d.), “Violence and Mental Illness”. Retrieved from www.cmha.ca). Young people like you can help change this! Fight stigma with truth.
True of False: Lack of physical activity and fresh air can reduce that production of natural endorphins that help your nervous system.
TRUE: This lack of endorphins can lead to depression.
Fill in the blanks to describe the 1-2-3-4-5 calming strategy.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method: Notice five things you see, four you can ______, three you hear, two you _______, and one you taste.
Touch
Smell
Name 3 ways you can get support if you need it.
Examples:
Talk to a parent/friend/teacher/trusted adult
Talk to your doctor
Call kids help phone
True or false: the majority of Ontario students in grades 7-12 rate their mental health as good to excellent.
TRUE: In 2023, 62% of students rated their mental health as good to excellent or very good, while 38% said it was fair or poor. (Source: OSDUHS, 2023). There are steps we can take to build our mental health, like exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating as best we can to support our physical health. We can also show kindness to our classmates and check in to make sure our friends are okay.
True or False: physical habits like sleep, what we eat, and exercise impact mental health.
When we take good care of our physical health, we are also improving our mental health. And when we take care of our mental health, it can make us feel better physically. Our physical and mental health are connected!
True/False: A change in temperature by putting your harm in cold running water or rubbing it with an ice cube can calm the nerves.
True
True/False: Positive affirmations and positive self talk are unhealthy because we could feel bad about our mistakes and failures in order to improve.
False
Positive affirmations help us to learn from our mistakes and failures and to stay motivated to keep trying.
What percentage of mental health concerns begin in childhood and adolescence?
A) 25%
B) 10%
C) 50%
D)70%
About 70% of people tell say that their mental health concerns first appeared when they were children or youth. (Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2014). Best practice guidelines for mental health promotion programs:
True/False: Holding in negative feelings and trying to forget about them is the best way to start feeling food again.
False: Talking about problems, and dealing with problems is the best way to release stress. Bottling it up can make things worse.
Tensing your muscles and relaxing them, starting from your toes and working your way up, can help to calm anxiety.
True
True or False: The harder you push yourself, the more you will achieve.
False: It is true that pushing yourself and challenging yourself can help you to achieve more, there is such a thing as pushing too hard. Setting realistic goals is a better way to stay motivated and on track.
In a given year, how many Canadians will experience a form of mental illness?
A) 20%
B) 5%
C) 40%
D)10%
A) 20% - Each year 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental health problem. That means in the average secondary school classroom, there will be many students who are impacted. Mental health problems are common, yet we don’t always talk about them. This reminds us how important it is to use careful language about mental illness because it may be very personal to someone nearby. (Source: Canadian Institute of Health Research).
True/False: Diets that are high in processed foods, refined carbs, and added sugars can cause blood sugar crashes that lead to irritability, fatigue, and heightened anxiety.
True/False - weighted pressure can relieve stress.
True: weighted blankets or carrying a heavy backpack can feel like pressure therapy and can calm the nerves.
What are some signs that a teen might need support?
Less interest in socializing/Drop in school performance/lack of energy/lack of interest/anxiety/irritable/change in appetite/change in sleep/feeling worthless