D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

Mental Health and Mental Illness: Knowing the Difference

D1.6 A1.1 A1.2 A1.4About 45 minutes

Learning goals

I can explain the relationship between mental health and mental illness.
I can identify possible signs of mental health problems in myself or others.
I can describe how to respond with care, reduce stigma and get help.

Words to know

mental health
How we think, feel and act, and how well we cope with life. Everyone has mental health, just like everyone has physical health.

mental illness
A health condition, diagnosed by a health professional, that changes a person's thinking, feelings or behaviour and causes distress or makes daily life hard for a long time. Examples: anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders.

mental health problem
A period of distress that affects daily life, which may or may not be a mental illness.

stigma
Negative attitudes or stereotypes about people with mental illness that can make them feel ashamed and stop them from getting help.

resilience
The ability to cope with and bounce back from hard times.

continuum
A line with many points between two ends, used to show that things can change gradually.

Two different words

People sometimes use "mental health" when they mean "mental illness". But they are not the same.

Everyone has mental health, the same way everyone has physical health. Some days it's great; some days it's not.
Mental illness is a health condition that a doctor or other health professional diagnoses. It affects thinking, feelings or behaviour, and it lasts long enough and is strong enough to make daily life hard.

Today you'll learn how the two are related, how to notice signs that someone may be struggling, and how to help.

Remember from Grades 5 and 6

You built a resilience toolkit, learned to fight mental health stigma, connected thoughts, emotions and actions, and learned how to reach help. This year you'll learn the difference between mental health and mental illness and how to spot possible signs of a problem.

A mental health continuum: people's mental health can move between thriving and unwell, and back again.

How they're related

Mental health can be pictured on a continuum: from thriving, to coping with normal ups and downs, to struggling, to unwell. People move back and forth along it.
Feeling sad after a loss, or nervous before a test, is a normal reaction, not a mental illness.
A person with a mental illness can still have good mental health at times, especially with treatment and support (like a person with asthma who feels well when it's managed).
A person without a mental illness can have poor mental health at times, for example during a very stressful year.
Mental illnesses are common and treatable. They are nobody's fault.

Normal ups and downs	Possible signs of a mental health problem
Feeling sad for a day or two after a disappointment	Feeling sad, empty or hopeless most of the day, for two weeks or more
Nervous before a test, then fine afterward	Worry so strong it causes stomach aches, panic, or avoiding school for weeks
A bad night's sleep before a big game	Big changes in sleep or appetite that last
Wanting alone time sometimes	Pulling away from friends, family and favourite activities
Getting annoyed when tired	Being very irritable or angry often; big changes in marks or behaviour
Feeling upset after a hard day, then better after rest or talking	Talking about self-harm or not wanting to live: this is an emergency, so get help right away

Signs are about how strong the change is, how long it lasts, and how much it affects daily life.

How to help a friend: notice, ask, listen, connect

Notice changes.
Ask privately and kindly: "You've seemed down lately. How are you really doing?"
Listen without judging or trying to fix everything. "That sounds really hard."
Connect them to an adult: "Let's talk to the counsellor together."

Never promise to keep it a secret if someone's safety is at risk. Telling an adult is how you help. If someone is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. The 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text) and Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868) are available 24/7.

Worked example

Let's sort normal reaction from possible problem

Two students: (A) Lea cried after her team lost the final and felt down all weekend, but on Monday she was laughing with friends. (B) Sam has stopped eating lunch, quit the band, sleeps in class, and has said "Nothing matters" for about a month.

Look at strength: Lea's sadness fits the event. Sam's changes are big and affect many parts of life.
Look at length: Lea's lasted a weekend. Sam's has lasted about a month.
Look at daily life: Lea is back to normal. Sam has dropped activities and is struggling at school.
Decide: Lea is having a normal reaction. Sam is showing possible signs of a mental health problem. Saying "Nothing matters" is worrying.

Sam needs support now: a friend can ask, listen and connect him with a trusted adult. Only a health professional can diagnose a mental illness, but anyone can notice and help.

Three questions to tell a normal reaction from a possible problem: how strong, how long, and how much it affects daily life. Sam's changes score high on all three.

Worked example

Let's challenge stigma

Someone in class says, "People with depression are just lazy. They should cheer up."

Identify the stigma: it blames the person and suggests depression is a choice.
Use facts: depression is a mental illness, a health condition. It's not laziness, and people can't just "cheer up", just like someone can't just "stop" having the flu.
Respond with empathy (A1.4): "Depression is an illness. People need support and treatment, not judgement. With help, people get better."

Challenging stigma makes it easier for people to ask for help.

Hands-on activity

My mental health check-in and toolkit

You need: paper, a pencil, and a quiet spot.

Draw the four-part continuum (thriving, coping, struggling, unwell). Mark where you are today. (This is private; you don't have to share.)
Under thriving, write what helps you feel your best (sleep, friends, being outside, music, sport...).
Under struggling, write two warning signs you'd notice in yourself.
Write three coping strategies you can use (breathing, a walk, journaling, talking to someone).
Write two trusted adults and the Kids Help Phone number.
Optional: share one part with your grown-up.

What to look for: specific warning signs and strategies, and at least two trusted adults.

Your turn

Does everyone have mental health?

What is a mental illness?

Name two mental illnesses.

Can a person with a mental illness have good mental health?

Name three possible signs of a mental health problem.

What are the four steps for helping a friend?

What is stigma?

More practice: warm-up

True or false: feeling nervous before a test is a mental illness.

True or false: mental illnesses are treatable.

True or false: a friend who says they want to hurt themselves should be kept secret.

What number can you call or text for suicide crisis support?

Who can diagnose a mental illness?

More practice: on your own

Explain why mental health is described as a continuum.

Give an example of a person without a mental illness who has poor mental health for a while.

Three things help decide whether a change might be a sign of a problem. What are they?

Rewrite this stigmatizing comment: "She's crazy, she sees a therapist."

Why shouldn't you promise to keep a friend's secret if their safety is at risk?

Challenge

Compare mental health and physical health using an example. How are they alike?

Your friend has seemed withdrawn for three weeks and says, "Don't tell anyone, I'm fine." Plan what you will say and do.

Explain how stigma can make a mental illness worse, and suggest one way your school could reduce it.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is true?

A mental illness is...

Which is most likely a possible sign of a mental health problem?

Can a person with a mental illness have periods of good mental health?

What's the best first step to help a friend who seems down?

"People with anxiety should just relax" is an example of...

If a friend talks about not wanting to live, you should...

For parents and teachers

Big idea: This lesson covers the Grade 7 mental health literacy expectation to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between mental health and mental illness, and identify possible signs of mental health problems (D1.6). It builds emotional awareness (A1.1), coping (A1.2) and relationship skills such as empathy (A1.4).

How to help at home:

Check in regularly with open questions: "What was the best and hardest part of your week?"
Talk about mental health as openly as physical health. If anyone in your family gets help, it's okay to say so in an age-appropriate way.
Protect sleep, activity and time together.

When to get help: if your child shows big changes lasting about two weeks or more (mood, sleep, eating, withdrawing, falling marks), talk to your family doctor or school. If your child talks about self-harm or suicide, get help right away: call 9-1-1 in an emergency, or call or text 9-8-8. Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7).

Common difficulties: confusing normal sadness or worry with mental illness, or believing mental illness is a choice. The continuum and the "strength, length, daily life" check help.