Minds On
Teenage mental health
Mental health is often misunderstood, and when people hear someone mention ‘mental health,’ they may automatically think ‘mental illness.’ The stigma about mental illness can be the result of not understanding or of being afraid. We all have ‘mental health’.
Press ‘Definition’ to access the definition for stigma.
Stigma is a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that society or a group in society may have about something.
Being a teenager can be tough. A lot of changes are occurring, and there is a lot of pressure from oneself, friends, parents, school, and society to be the best that they can be. Physical and hormonal changes may bring about new emotions and feelings.
Studies have found that young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.
- Question: What are some reasons why young people might be more likely to experience mental illness or engage in substance use?
Record your ideas using the Mind Map in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
If possible, share your list with a partner.
Action
Mental health
Press the following tabs to access the definition for some important terms for this section.
According to Youth Mental Health Canada, a non-profit advocacy group for mental health:
- young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group
In the Minds On section, you created a list of some potential reasons for this fact.
Press ‘Answer’ to access some reasons you may have included in your Mind Map.
Possible answers:
- Social changes may bring new friends and create distance from old friends.
- Academic challenges and other stresses may occur upon entering high school.
- Pressure on achievements such as academic, artistic, athletic and personal achievements imposed by family, friends, community, or self
Additional influences such as social media, a part-time job, and taking care of one’s own health, can often increase stress.
Everyone experiences varying degrees of mental strain in their life. Having a bad day does not mean someone is depressed.
Being nervous about a presentation does not necessarily mean someone has a medical diagnosis for anxiety.
In some cases, these feelings of anxiousness could possibly indicate a more serious mental health issue. If anyone is ever in a state of mental health crisis or just needs to talk, they can start by reaching out to a trusted adult in their lives. There are also resources like Kids Help Phone that provide confidential support services if someone wants advice but does not feel comfortable reaching out to someone around them.
Stigma
There can be a lot of stigma surrounding individuals experiencing or diagnosed with mental illness.
- How can the stigma of mental illness affect an individual?
Complete the Stigma Question in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
Press ‘Answer’ to access some possible responses to check your answer.
- do not feel safe to talk about it
- they feel lonely and isolated
- hurt feelings
- often misunderstood
- depression
- afraid of being bullied
Brainstorm
Nothing changes if nothing changes
What can people do to help promote positive mental health? (e.g., join or form a wellness club, Random Acts of Kindness)
Record your feelings and ideas using a method of your choice.
Sources of stress, anxiety, and depression
Take a few minutes and reflect on how these factors may affect mental health:
- stress
- anxiety
- depression
Complete the Sources of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| Sources of Stress (reasonable level of worry) | Sources of Anxiety (great deal of worry) | Sources of Depression (feelings of extreme sadness and worry) |
|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Sources of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Chart.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
After you have completed the chart in the previous section, explore the following questions. Record your thoughts and opinions using a method of your choice.
- Are any of the answers found in more than one category?
- Are there any terms that might be disrespectful to individuals struggling with mental health?
- Are there any sources of mental health strain that may not have existed twenty years ago?
- Are there any surprises in your examples?
Technological changes and mental health
Technology has changed a lot about how we interact as a society, and our way of thinking has changed with them. Social media and mobile devices may lead to psychological and physical issues, such as eyestrain and difficulty focusing on important tasks. They may also contribute to more serious health conditions, such as depression.
The overuse of technology may have a more significant impact on developing children and teenagers. Review the following questions on how technology may affect the life of teenagers.
- How has technology improved the lives of teens?
- How has technology had a positive effect on mental health?
- How might technology have a negative impact on mental health?
Wearable technology
Let’s explore an example of how technology can help improve mental health. You will now access the article “How wearable tech could help adults with developmental disorders manage anxiety.”
Press tvo today to access “How wearable tech could help adults with developmental disorders manage anxiety”.
tvo today (Opens in a new tab)Reflect on the article using this fill-in-the-blank activity and question.
For each sentence, select the missing word, or phrase from the drop-down menu.
Question: How do you feel about the benefits that Adriana McVicker discusses at the end of this article? Who does Adriana believe will benefit from this app?
Technology and mental health support
Humans have a complex relationship with technology. Technological inventions have improved our quality of life in many ways and have given us power in everything from socialization to entertainment. However, there have been drawbacks as well.
Recently, screen time has become a health factor for children, teenagers, and adults. Too much screen time can negatively affect sleep patterns. This could lead to an increase in headaches and have an overall effect on mental health.
Explore this video entitled “Mental Health: There’s an App for That” to learn more about how different apps have been created to manage different mental health needs.
Let’s explore
It is your turn to explore some of the free apps or web tools available on the Internet that have been designed to assist in the management of mental health.
Before you begin, let’s review some tips for safe and responsible research practices.
Student Tips
Research Safety
When doing research on the Internet, it is important to stay safe and stay focused. You might use the acronym TRUST to help you do your research.
Press the following tabs to access research safety tips.
Think about your topic and develop specific questions to get better research results.
For example, if you are working on the topic of mental health, you might start with a general question and make it more specific before beginning your research.
General Question: What supports are there on the Internet for people who experience anxiety?
Specific Question: How can a breathing and mindfulness app help support people experiencing anxiety?
Be patient while doing your research. Go through each website carefully, and take notes using a graphic organizer, or notebook. Record the website used for specific information.
It is important to give credit to the creator of the content. This way, we are respecting the creator and their content.
Create a search strategy that involves more than one resource. Consulting more than one resource can help you determine if the information you gather is accurate. It can also help you gather all the information that you need.
Research can take time. It helps to be focused and calm! Taking a break can help refresh our thinking and process new information.
Here are a few examples of ways to take a brain break:
- Take some deep breaths
- Get a drink of water
- Try moving around (e.g., stretching, dancing, walking)
- Try doing a calming activity (e.g., read a book, doodle, use a fidget toy)
It is important to use reliable sources and app developers so that you can put together accurate and up-to-date information about your topic.
Websites ending with .com, .org, and .net can be purchased and used by any person.
The ending .org is usually used by non-profit organizations which may be trying to persuade rather than educate.
Websites ending in .edu are reserved for colleges and universities. Canadian websites have a .ca ending.
Seek out app developers that are accredited, recognized, or affiliated with health organizations and institutions.
Consider the following questions when you are doing your reliability check. You might also ask a trusted adult or a peer for help if you are uncertain about a website.
- When was the resource published/developed?
Note: This might help you determine if the information is current.
- Who created the resource/tool? What is their educational background or work experience?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Who benefits from this information being shared?
- Whose perspectives are represented? Whose perspectives are missing?
Do you understand the terms or vocabulary used in the resource/tool?
Does what you’re reading make sense?
If not, it’s okay. Consider trying a different source. It’s important for you to understand the information that you read so that you can put it in your own words.
It’s important to stay safe while you are using the Internet for research. If a website asks you for any personal information, close it and try a different website.
This might include asking for your full name, email address, phone number, home address, photos or school name. Do not provide any personal information and close the website.
Does the site have pop-up windows or advertisements? These windows usually ask the user to click to “win a prize” or “check out information”. Do not click on the pop-ups and close the website.
Throughout the research process, feel free to check in with a peer or trusted adult.
If there is anything specific that makes you feel uncomfortable or worried while you are doing your research:
- Pause and take a break
- Speak to a trusted adult
Select a mental health issue and explore some of the apps or web tools available to support individuals with your chosen issue. Some potential mental health issues you may want to explore could include:
- stress
- anxiety
- depression
- insomnia
- therapy
- mindfulness, breathing, or meditation
- breathing
- cognitive behavioural therapy
- addiction
Complete the Exploring an App for Mental Health in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
Press the Activity button to access the Exploring an App for Mental Health.
Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)Check out the Exploring an App for Mental Health – Example if you want an example of how the chart can be filled out.
Press the Activity button to access the Exploring an App for Mental Health – Example.
Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)Consolidation
Technology for teens
Many teenagers in Ontario today have not known a time before the internet. It is an integral part of learning, socializing, and living day to day. As we have learned earlier in this lesson, technology can have both positive and negative consequences on individuals. It is important to maintain an appropriate balance of technology within their lives, to ensure that a healthy lifestyle can be attained.
Your task is to come up with a proposal for an app that can help the mental health of Canadian teenagers. Propose something that may be able to help teens cope with one of the following issues:
- stress
- anxiety
- depression
Be mindful that you cannot fix everything with one app!
Record your thinking using a method of your choice or use the following template to help guide your planning.
Complete the Mental Health App Planner in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
Use the following checklist to help you in designing your mental health app.
Mental health app proposal success criteria
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.