Group of friends smiling and laughing.

Mental Health

Mental health is important to your overall health and well-being. It’s about how you think, feel, and act.

Did you know? Five out of five people have mental health, that means everybody. It is important to take care of your mental health just as you take care of your physical health. Good mental health helps you get the most out of life, and helps you cope with life's stresses and reach your goals. We can all improve our mental health.

Crisis services in Durham Region

Mental health services in Durham Region

Mental health and mental illness

Watch this video to learn more about mental health and mental illness.

Adult mental health

What can affect your mental health?

Times of change, such as finishing college, getting married, becoming a new parent, or retirement.
Life events such as becoming unemployed, death of a loved one, or getting divorced.

What supports your mental health?

Feeling like you belong.
Being physically well.
Being able to solve problems.
Having your basic needs met (e.g., safe housing, stable income).
Feeling in control of your life.
Spending time with people you enjoy.

How can you improve your mental health?

Eat a healthy diet.
Be active.
Get enough sleep.
Make plans to meet up with a friend.
Participate in cultural events in and around your community.
Leave a kind message for someone else to find. Let someone know how much you appreciate them and why.
Practice gratitude. At the end of the day, write down what you are grateful for or something that made you feel good today.
Explore ways to manage stress such as, try a new recipe, write a poem or a letter to someone, paint, or listen to music that lifts you up.
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice of focusing your attention on one thing. To learn more about connection to self and mindfulness visit durham.ca/connection.

Resources

Teen mental health

The teenage years are a time when many physical, emotional and social changes are occurring. Teens often experience a range of emotions, as do parents. You play a vital role in helping your teen handle life's ups and downs in positive ways.

Support your teen's mental health

Encourage your teen to have healthy relationships.
Maintain routines and limits.
Accept your teen for who they are.
Be active together. Teens need about 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Visit our Physical Activity, Sedentary Time and Sleep page to learn more.
Ensure your teen gets enough sleep. Teens between the ages of 14 to 17 years of age need about eight to 10 hours of sleep a night.
Keep positive.
Talk to your teen about healthy ways to cope with stress such as using deep breathing, practicing yoga, or developing a plan to cope with their problems.
Teach your teen new life skills and let them practice things like doing the laundry and cooking.
Talk to your teen about drugs and alcohol and how using them can affect their physical and mental health.

Bullying

Did you know that being a victim of a bully or being a bully can impact your teen’s mental health and well-being?

Please visit your school board’s website for more information on bullying, which includes your school board’s specific policies and procedures.

Resources

211 Ontario
Teens Can resource
Teens Can video
Teens Can Be Resilient... in High School! resource
PFLAG - Durham 905-231-0533
Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
Durham Counselling Walk-in Clinic 289-509-0603, extension 3203
Be Safe app - The Be Safe app is for youth and young adults and allows them to search for mental health services in Durham Region and make a safety plan.
Mental Health Helpline - ConnexOntario
School Mental Health Ontario

Children's mental health

For children, part of being mentally healthy is being able to bounce back from challenges and learn from them. You play an important role in helping your child learn to deal with life’s stresses.

Learn more about building connections for resilient kids.

Support your child's mental health

Build trust by having routines, setting limits and explaining your expectations.
Build their self-esteem.
Help them find solutions to their problems.
Encourage them to see things from another person's point of view.
Give them opportunities to practice patience.
Let them play and exercise. Being physical active is a great stress reliever. Visit our Physical Activity, Sedentary Time and Sleep page to learn more.
Let them experience loss with your support.
Teach them about their feelings and good ways to deal with them.
Prepare them for changes.
Stay positive.
Provide choices.
98 Ways to Say "Very Good"

Bullying

Did you know that being a victim of a bully or being a bully can impact your child’s mental health and well-being?

Please visit your school board’s website for more information on bullying, which includes your school board’s specific policies and procedures.

Resources

More information, including strategies and activities you can use to support your child's mental health, can be found in our Kids Can resource.

Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
211 Ontario
School Mental Health Ontario
Durham Counselling Walk-in Clinic 289-509-0603, extension 3203

Diverse communities

Durham is home to a population rich in diversity and culture. If you are looking for a community to connect with or to find mental health information in different languages, there are a variety of resources and supports available for communities across the region and surrounding area.

Information for schools

You can find information for mental health in schools on our Educators page.