Opening Conversations and Building Understanding About Mental Health

70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence, according to a study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The daily pressures faced by teens, along with lingering stigmas around mental illness, mean that a lot of teens may be dealing with challenges but don’t know how to get help.

Through the Adviser program, Grade 12 students got a chance to have an open conversation about mental illness with someone who has lived with an anxiety disorder and clinical depression. Scott Ste Marie from Depression to Expression drew on his own experience to talk about the realities and misconceptions about mental illness, what tools exist to help students if they are struggling, and how to build resilience. Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health concerns facing Canadians; 34% of Ontario high school students report symptoms of one or both, so it is important for students to recognize the symptoms and know how to get help.

One of the major sections of his speech dealt with the difference between healthy, natural changes in mood and potential symptoms of a mental health concern. With the misconceptions and stigma that surround discussions of mental health, individuals often aren’t sure if their problem is “serious enough” to seek help. For example, it is a natural, even a healthy response to feel anxious about an upcoming exam, or to feel emotionally low and distressed after the death of a loved one. But if these feelings are persistent —lasting more than two weeks straight—and/or there isn’t any sort of trigger or explanation for these feelings, it could indicate a mental health concern.

This conversation gave students insight into mental health concerns, and methods to interpret their own experiences. As we continue to make mental health a topic of conversation at Greenwood, Scott provided a timely reminder about the importance of opening up these conversations and continuing to seek productive ways to look after our own mental health and well-being.