Let's Be Real!... (myth or fact)
Both!
Name two things you could say if you called a helpline
I’m having a hard time; I need to talk to somebody; Today was tough; I’m not sure what to say; I need help; I need someone to listen; Hello..., etc.
How are people with mental illness (like schizophrenia) usually shown on TV, in the news, or in movies? And what is the problem with that?
• Violent, dangerous, low IQ, multiple personalities.
Stigma: it reinforces these false ideas and makes it harder for anyone dealing with schizophrenia to get help.
True or false- Medication is the only treatment method that works for mental health problems.
False. Medication can be helpful, and is sometimes necessary depending on the severity of the issue, but other methods such as therapy and counselling can also be very helpful. Talk to a doctor about all of your different options.
How can talking about a hard time be helpful? Give two reasons
Process what’s going on: share your feelings, work out what’s bothering you, and explore what you can do about it
• Feel better
• Don’t feel alone
• Feel cared for
• Create a connection between people
Name a reason for each:
- Why would a person want a mental health diagnosis? - Why would a person not want a mental health diagnosis?
- May make it easier to access info, resources, and treatment, and connect with other people.
- Don’t want the label or the treatment, stigma.
- We get to decide for ourselves whether we seek out a diagnosis.
Either way, we deserve to be treated with respect.
Name 3 places/people you can go to talk to if you are having a hard time or think you might have a mental health problem.
Mental health hotlines for youth, Personal Counselling, a trusted family member, a trusted friend
True/ False- If you find the right words to say and spend enough time with them, you can cause your friend to get better when they are experiencing a mental health issue.
False. Temporarily you can make them feel better, but if there is an underlying cause making them feel bad, you can't fix it on your own. Sometimes helping a friend through something like this is challenging and frustrating because you cannot instantly make everything better. Being patient is key, and realizing that they need to be able to work out their own problem is needed to avoid burning yourself out. You can be a huge support for them, but ultimately you cannot fix everything.
If we hear gossip or someone negatively talking about mental health, what can we do?
Say something like…
• “What you’re saying is not helpful.”
• “Everyone has mental health, so making fun of it hurts us all.”
• “If what you’re saying is true, it sounds like they need our support, not judgment.”
True of false- you need to know exactly what you're going to say and how you're going to say it before you talk to a counselor.
False. Counselors are there to listen to whatever is troubling you, and you can open up to them at a pace that you are comfortable with. Tip: if you feel like you might get nervous and freeze up, it often helps to write things down before your appointment. This also helps you to organize your thoughts and put things in perspective.
Name 3 things you can do to help a friend who thinks they may have a mental health problem.
Listen to them, spend time with them, encourage them to seek help, go with them to appointments/ help them make appointments, show them that you care :), if it is serious tell someone, don't judge, ask someone for advice
It is impossible to prevent a mental health condition caused by our environment.
Myth - It is possible to prevent mental health conditions cause by our environmental, such as drug and alcohol abuse and trauma. Prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders focuses on addressing known risk factors, such as exposure to trauma, that can affect the chances that children, youth, and young adults will develop mental health conditions.
In Canada Anxiety ranks in the top five most common mental illnesses in Canada. Out of five what rank is Anxiety? (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5)
Number One
True or false? There is a gap between the number of people who need mental health treatment vs the amount of treatment given world wide.
True - Only 29% of people with psychosis (a collection of symptoms that affect the mind) and only one third of people with depression receive formal mental health care
Name 3 reason why people hesitate to get help
They don't want to "burden anyone else with their problems", it is hard to talk about, it makes them feel vulnerable, fear of being judged, stigma, don't know who to tell, don't think the problem is "serious enough", asking for help is "giving up", no resources available.