Mental Health Awareness Month — True or False?

True or False? Everyone has mental health.

• True. Your mental health can change day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, but everyone has mental health.

True or False? Everyone has a mental illness.

• False. A diagnosis of mental illness will come from a Psychiatrist, Psychologist or your family doctor.

True or False? If someone in your family has a mental illness, you will also be diagnosed with a mental illness.

• False. Although some illnesses seem to have a genetic link, just because someone in your family has a mental illness does not mean that you will have one, too. Everybody has their own genetic makeup and you are an individual.

True or False? You can catch a mental illness from someone who has it, it is contagious.

• False. Mental illness is not at all contagious.

True or False? If you’re feeling sad one day, you are depressed.

• False. If you’re sad one day you are having a poor mental health day and you can do things to cheer yourself up like exercising, getting outside and doing something you love to do. One day of feeling sad does not mean you are depressed.

True or False? You have control over whether you are in a positive or negative mental health space.

• True and False. There are many things you can do to make yourself feel better when you’re feeling out of sorts and a little blue. Exercise, nutrition, hydration and doing something you love are some ways for you to boost your mental health for the day. However, if you have a mental illness like depression sometimes your mental health space is out of your control. If this is the case, all you can do is do your best to take care of yourself

True or False? If you have a mental illness, you have it for life.

• False. Some mental illnesses will need to be managed throughout your life, but some illnesses are treatable and you are able to conquer them.

True or False? Having a mental illness means you are weak.

• False. So very false! If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, we believe you are a warrior. You will need to learn how to manage and treat your illness but having a mental illness does not mean you’re weak at all – in fact, we think you are very, very strong.

True or False? You should not talk about your mental illness.

• False. The more you talk about what you go through and your experience with your mental illness, the more educated others around you are. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t, but if you want to let people know what you go through, speak up and share your experiences.

True or False? Exercise can boost your mental health.

• True. Exercise releases a bunch of “feel-good” chemicals in our body that help us fight against sad days or days when our mental health seems not-so-positive.

True or False? Video games cause mental illness.

• False. Video games do not cause mental illness, but too much screen time can have a negative impact on your mental health - so try to limit the amount of time you spend on your screens.

True or False? If you see someone having a hard day, you should leave them alone and give them space.

• False. The best thing you can do is ask how they are feeling and if they are okay. If they say they just need space, give them space. But sometimes just having a friend check on them is all they need to help them feel a little better.

True or False? People with a mental illness live in a hospital.

• False. In fact, most people with a diagnosed mental illness do not live in a hospital. They live at home, go to school, play on a sports team and do all the things those without a mental illness do.

True or False? What you eat does not affect how you feel.

• False. Proper nutrition is incredibly important for mental health. If you eat well, you help get proper nutrients to your brain and that helps you get into a positive state of mental health.

True or False? You can tell if someone has a mental illness.

• False. Mental illnesses are not visible illnesses, you cannot “see” them. In fact, many famous people you know have diagnosed mental illnesses including Dwayne Johnson, Beyonce, Ryan Reynolds and Adele.

True or False? Kids don’t have panic attacks – they just yell or cry to get what they want.

• False. When someone experiences a panic attack they have very little control over how their body responds and are unable to think clearly. In their mind, they are literally fighting for their life and cannot rationalize their behaviour.

True or False? You cannot help someone with a mental illness.

• False. You can help a whole lot by being a good friend and supporting them as best you can. If you have a friend with a mental illness, ask how to best support them and let them know you’re there for them.

True or False? Sleep is important for mental health.

• True. Kids aged 7-12 need about 11 hours of sleep per night and teens need 8-9 hours of sleep per night for brain development, rest and positive mental health.

True or False? If you have a mental illness, you will feel mad, sad or worried all the time.

• False. People diagnosed with a mental illness may not have to battle their illness every day. Often, if they take care of their mental health, their mental illness will not affect their day at all. Some days their illness takes over and they’ll need to battle. Just like someone without a mental illness, every day is different.

True or False? Kids can’t have a mental illness like depression, those are adults’ illnesses.

• False. Children can experience mental illnesses. In fact, many mental illnesses appear when children are young.

True or False? Kids that have a mental illness have bad parents.

• False. Mental illnesses are very complicated and arise from a combination of genetics, biology, life experiences and environment. However, parents will play an incredible role in recovery and support for their child.

True or False? You should stay away from someone with a mental illness.

• False. You most likely go to school with someone who has a mental illness and you don’t even know it. People who live with a mental illness are just like you – they have friends, they participate in things they like to do. If you have a friend with a mental illness, try your best to support them.

True or False? Medication for mental illness is bad.

• False. Many mental illnesses require medication to help with recovery. Just like you take ibuprofen for a cold or flu, medication prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist can be used to help treat a mental illness.

True or False? You should reach out for help if you feel sad or worried.

• True. If you find yourself feeling sad or worried, you should always reach out to someone you trust. Whether you’re just having one hard day or if you’ve had many hard days - your loved ones will want to know how you’re feeling and will be able to help you. If they are unsure of where to go to get help, you can send them to this link: https://stigmafreesociety.com/help-and-resources.

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This information is from NIMH, emmresourcecenter.org, SAMHSA, mhanational.org, studentmentalhealthtoolkit.com