COPING
Name one helpline or website and one person you can go to for support or information on Mental Health/Emotional Well-Being.
Teentalk.ca, kidshelpphone.ca, Hope for Wellness Line, Crisis Line plus any person they trust.
How do you comfort someone having a panic attack? Name 3 things.
Stay with the person and keep calm; Move the person to a quiet place; Ask what the person needs; Speak to the person in short, simple sentences; Help the person focus; Help slow the person's breathing.
Give one example of setting a healthy boundary besides a physical boundary with a friend, family member or romantic partner.
• Letting our parents/caregivers know when we need transition time/a break. • Asking people to stop distracting us when we are busy. • Letting friends know when we won’t be available. • Telling romantic partners how much affection we want or don’t want. (FYI: Boundaries help us meet our own needs, help develop our identity and independence, help build healthy relationships, is respectful to others and enables us to use our energy in good ways to take care of ourselves.)
If you know your friend is suicidal, what should you do?
Go with them to an adult they trust since this is “bigger than the both of you” and if they don’t want to talk to an adult then tell them you’ll reach out for them. (You must go to an adult if their safety is a concern.)
What are feelings?
• They are the sensations that are happening in our body in that moment.
• Feelings are messages that your body and mind are sending you about how you are emotionally experiencing something.
What’s one thing we can do to distract ourselves during a hard time and what one thing we can do that can help us reflect on our problem?
Anything that’s distracting like video games, sports, working, even substance use and partying AND reflecting: talking about it, journaling, thinking about it, praying, making music.
Name 4 things you should ask a pharmacist or doctor when getting prescribed medication for a mental health issue.
What are the side effects? • What are the expected results? Why am I taking this? How long should I take it for? • Will it make my birth control pill less effective? How often should I take it? • Are there any alternatives to taking this medication? • Is this the lowest dose I can take for it to be effective? • If I take drugs/alcohol or another medication while on this, what will happen? • What should I do if I miss a dose? • What time of the day should I take this?
All areas of our health are interconnected. Striving for balance and wellness means paying attention to all aspects of our health. What are the four areas of our health?
Physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.
How can regular “feeling check ins” with ourselves, or with a trusted friend/person, help us? Give 2 reasons.
Most importantly, it will help us find our own authentic selves as it helps us become aware of our own emotions. In a group setting where there is a certain comfort level, it can help youth empathize with what other youth may be going through and realize you are not alone.
Why don’t some people share negative feelings such as sadness, being hurt, frustration?
They are worried about being judged, or laughed at or seen as vulnerable. This can be due to the stigma around dealing with our mental health.
Demonstrate 4 steps of box breathing and explain when you would use it?
• Step 1: Breathe in counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
• Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
• Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
• Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.
• Use It Anytime! Breathing deeply is a helpful way to start the day, keep us feeling good, calm us down or help us feel better and relax. It can relieve tension in the body.
How can stress be helpful? Name 4 things that can cause young people stress. Don’t forget positive things as well.
Stress can make a person perform better and be more focused like during an exam or game, especially school, work, relationships: family and peers.
Give three reasons why is it important to make time for ourselves and have fun?
Self-care is important because it:
• Gives us a break so we can reenergize
• Helps us cope when times are harder
• Releases endorphins (happy hormones)
• Reduces stress
• Feels good
• Can help us have more energy to be helpful to others
How can we support someone going through a hard time? Name 3 things.
Listen to them without judgment and believe what they are saying.
• Ask them who else they feel comfortable talking to.
• Go with them to a counsellor/teen clinic/ hospital/Elder/etc.
• Do things they want to do.
• Notice and comment on positive changes as well for encouragement.
What does it mean to reframe negative thoughts and give one example.
Reframing thoughts is when you actively notice unhelpful thoughts in your mind and reframe them into more useful thoughts such as “I’ll never get this” to “I can do it.”
How do any type of breathing techniques help us?
Breathing deeply is a helpful way to start the day, keep us feeling good, calm us down or help us feel better and relax. It can relieve tension and stress in the body.
What mental health diagnosis is the most commonly diagnosed condition for WOMEN?
Depression, Anxiety, & Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
True/False: Mental Illness lasts forever for everyone.
False - with the help of therapy and/or medication, along with self-care and wellness, mental illness can be controlled and/or decreased significantly.
True/False: A friend tells you they are going to kill themselves, but aren't sure when. They ask you not to tell anyone, especially their parents because they don't want to worry them. A good friend doesn't tell secrets and you should keep this information between you and your friend.
FALSE FALSE FALSE!
You need to tell someone - an adult - that your friend has said this. Your friend needs help and support and you can't risk having them end their life.
Why is it important to feel our feelings especially the hard feelings like sadness and anger rather than ignore, get rid or numb them?
If we numb our negative feelings we also numb joy and happy feelings. Ignoring and pushing away our feelings can lead to negative coping like taking them out on others, substance use, disordered eating etc. Because of this, it’s important to recognize our feelings and care for them.
Name 4 things you do (healthy/positive) to cope through hard times.
Examples: Journaling, taking time to self and doing something you enjoy, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, physical activity, drawing, coloring, etc
What percent of teenage girls experience mental health stress/anxiety to the point it impacts daily functioning?
Approximately 38% of female adolescents aged 13-18 experience an anxiety disorder, and an estimated 8.3% of those with anxiety disorders experience severe impairment.
True/False: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) affects boys more than girls, and presents as them being very hyper and impulsive.
FALSE - ADHD impacts both males and females; it can look different, however. Males tend to display more fidgety/hyperactive and impulsive behaviors, whereas females tend to be more distractible and impulsive (ex: daydreaming) in a less noticeable manner. Both tend to struggle with time-management and organization habits.
Name 3 things you could do for a friend, needing support, that does not cost any money.
*Go for a walk with them
*Offer a listening ear
*Suggest some ways to cope
*Find something fun to do that you know they really like
*Tell them some funny jokes*
Why is anger often called a secondary emotion, what’s underneath and why is it helpful to understand this?
Anger is often called a secondary emotion because we show anger in order to protect ourselves from or hide other vulnerable feelings. Socially, anger is one of the few emotions that we are told is OK to express.
• We almost always feel something else first before we get angry. A primary feeling is what is felt, before we feel anger.
• If we understand what feeling is underneath then a person’s less likely to become angry and act on that, and will be able to understand themselves better.