Mental Health

• Times of change can affect your mental health, such as finishing college or getting married.
• Life events such as becoming unemployed, death of a loved one, or getting divorced can affect 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.
• Review what matters to you.
• Manage work stress.
• Build and enjoy health relationships.

• Mental Health is for Everyone booklet
• Mental Health Helpline - ConnexOntario

• 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.
• 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.

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.

• Durham District School Board
• Durham Catholic District School Board
• Kawartha Pineridge District School Board
• Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington District School Board

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

• 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.
• Ensure your teen gets enough sleep. Teens between the ages of 14 to 17 years of age need about 8 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.

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.

• Durham District School Board
• Durham Catholic District School Board
• Kawartha Pineridge District School Board
• Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington District School Board

• 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

Mental health is a state in which you are able to:

• Develop your potential.
• Work productively and creatively.
• Build strong and positive relationships with others.
• Contribute to your community.

Work provides:

• A sense of fulfilment.
• Social interaction.
• A source of income.
• Self-esteem and identity.

Work stress may come from many issues, including:

• Job content.
• Workload and work pace.
• Hours of work.
• Participation and control in decisions made that affect you and your work.
• Career development, status and pay.
• Role in the organization.
• Interpersonal relationships.
• Workplace culture.
• Work-life balance.

Too much stress at work for too long is not healthy and can lead to health problems, such as:

• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Heart disease.
• Back pain.
• Headaches.
• Higher risk for some types of cancers, injuries and infections.

However, some stress is actually good for you, as it motivates and challenges you!

How can you manage your work stress?

The following five things can help you manage work stress:

1. Develop relationships - Supportive relationships can help you through stressful times. Positive relationships help you increase your ability to plan, meet goals and deal with challenges.
2. Positive Thinking - Being able to think positively helps you deal with stress and look at challenges as opportunities.
3. Competence - Competence is your ability to use your skills to influence what happens in your life. Know when to use strengths and when to ask for help so you don't feel stressed.
4. Healthy coping - Your body is better able to respond to stress when you practice healthy coping. Healthy coping strategies include being physically active, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking, and avoiding alcohol.
5. Know your emotions - Being able to understand and manage your emotions helps you to keep stress in check.