C. Healthy Living · Healthy Living: Informed Choices for Body, Mind and RelationshipsMental Health: Recognizing Warning Signs and Responding with Care
C3.2About 70 minutes
Learning goals- I can tell the difference between normal stress or sadness and warning signs that could be related to a mental health concern.
- I can describe a variety of strategies for coping with stress and managing my mood.
- I can explain how to seek help for myself or a friend, including in a crisis.
- I can support others who are struggling with their emotional well-being.
Words to know
mental health
Your emotional, psychological and social well-being: how you think, feel, cope and connect. Everyone has mental health.
mental health concern
Changes in thinking, mood or behaviour that last, are intense, and make daily life harder.
mental illness
A health condition diagnosed by a health professional, such as an anxiety disorder or depression, that affects thinking, mood and behaviour. It is treatable.
stress
The body and mind's response to a challenge. Some stress helps you perform; too much for too long harms health.
coping strategy
Something you do to handle stress or difficult feelings.
stigma
Negative attitudes or stereotypes that make people feel ashamed to ask for help.
crisis
A situation in which someone may be in danger, such as thinking about suicide. It needs help right away.
A note before you start
This lesson deals with a serious topic. Take breaks if you need them. If anything in it reminds you of something hard in your own life, talk to a trusted adult, or contact Kids Help Phone (call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868, any time, free and confidential).
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline, 24/7) or call 911 right now.
Bad day or something more?
Everyone feels stressed before a test, sad after a breakup, or worried about fitting in at a new school. Those feelings are normal, and they usually pass. But sometimes feelings become intense, last for weeks and get in the way of school, friends, sleep and enjoying life. That can be a warning sign of a mental health concern.
The Grade 9 curriculum asks you to identify warning signs and symptoms that could be related to mental health concerns (e.g., inability to cope with stress; feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, or worthlessness; negative thoughts about oneself, others, and the future; thoughts of suicide), and describe a variety of strategies for coping with or responding to mental health concerns affecting oneself or others (e.g., stress and mood management techniques, identifying ways to seek help for oneself or a friend/classmate, supporting others who are struggling with their emotional well-being) (C3.2).
Remember from Grade 8
In Grade 8 you built healthy habits and coping strategies for resilience, and learned how words and stigma affect people with mental illness and how to counteract stigma. Now you'll learn to recognize warning signs and respond, for yourself and for others.
| Warning sign (curriculum examples) | What it might look like |
|---|
| Inability to cope with stress | Small problems feel overwhelming; shutting down, crying or exploding often |
| Feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness or worthlessness | Sad or worried most days for two weeks or more; "nothing will get better"; "I'm useless" |
| Negative thoughts about oneself, others and the future | Harsh self-talk; believing others don't care; no hope for the future |
| Changes in behaviour | Pulling away from friends and activities; big changes in sleep or eating; grades dropping; using alcohol or drugs to cope |
| Thoughts of suicide | Talking or posting about wanting to die or not being here; giving away belongings; saying goodbye. This is an emergency. |
Coping with stress and managing mood
Coping strategies are like tools: different ones work for different people and situations.
- Calm the body: box breathing (in for 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4); progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release muscle groups); a walk or bike ride.
- Ground yourself: the 5-4-3-2-1 method: name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
- Change the thought: notice a harsh thought ("I'll fail everything") and replace it with a more balanced one ("This test is hard, but I studied and I can ask for help").
- Problem-solve: break a big stress into small steps; make a plan; ask for an extension early.
- Connect: talk with a friend, family member, Elder, coach or counsellor.
- Basics: sleep, regular meals, physical activity, time outdoors, limits on screens and news.
- Express: journaling, music, art, prayer or meditation, being on the land.
Unhelpful coping, like using alcohol or drugs, self-harm, or avoiding everything, can make things worse. If you're using these, reach out for help.
Where to get help
- A trusted adult: parent or caregiver, teacher, coach, school counsellor, social worker, or your doctor or nurse practitioner.
- Kids Help Phone: call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868, 24/7, free and confidential.
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988, 24/7, across Canada.
- Hope for Wellness Help Line (for all Indigenous peoples across Canada): 1-855-242-3310, or chat at hopeforwellness.ca, 24/7.
- 911 or the nearest hospital emergency department if someone is in immediate danger.
Talking about suicide safely
If you're worried a friend is thinking about suicide, it's okay to ask directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking does not put the idea in their head; it shows you care and opens the door to help. Listen, take them seriously, stay with them or keep them on the phone, and get an adult or call 9-8-8 or 911 right away. Never promise to keep it a secret. A friend may be upset with you for telling, but you could be saving their life.
Worked exampleLet's sort normal stress from a warning sign
Two situations: (A) Hana is nervous all week before a big presentation, sleeps badly the night before, then feels relieved afterward. (B) For the past month, Theo has stopped going to basketball, sleeps most of the weekend, says "what's the point of anything," and his grades have dropped. Which one shows warning signs?
- Hana: stress that is linked to a specific event, lasts a short time, and goes away. That's a normal reacting response.
- Theo: changes that have lasted a month: withdrawing from activities, sleep changes, hopelessness ("what's the point"), falling grades.
- Theo's signs are intense and lasting and affect daily life.
- Response for Theo: a friend checks in, listens, and encourages him to talk to a trusted adult or counsellor; if he mentions not wanting to be alive, get help immediately.
Theo shows warning signs that could be related to a mental health concern, especially hopelessness. Hana's stress is normal. Only a health professional can diagnose, but anyone can notice and connect someone to help.
Worked exampleLet's build a personal stress plan
It's exam week. Ava feels her heart racing, can't sleep, and keeps thinking, "I'm going to fail." Build her a plan with at least four strategies.
- Body: box breathing for 2 minutes before studying and at bedtime.
- Thoughts: replace "I'm going to fail" with "I've passed hard tests before; I'll study one unit at a time."
- Problem-solving: make a study schedule with breaks; ask the teacher about confusing topics.
- Basics: keep 8+ hours of sleep, eat regular meals, take a 20-minute walk each day.
- Connect: tell her parent she's stressed; if feelings don't ease after exams or get worse, talk to the school counsellor.
A good plan uses several types of strategies (body, thoughts, problem-solving, basics, connection) and includes a point at which to seek more help.
Hands-on activityMy coping toolbox
You need: a small box, envelope or a page in your notes app.
- Write 8 coping strategies on cards: 2 for calming your body, 2 for changing thoughts, 2 for connecting, 2 for basics or expressing yourself.
- Practise box breathing and 5-4-3-2-1 grounding right now. Which felt better?
- Add a card with three people you can talk to and the helpline numbers from this lesson.
- Put the toolbox somewhere easy to find, and try one card the next time you feel stressed.
What to look for: strategies that are healthy, specific and realistic, real names of trusted people, and correct helpline numbers.
Your turn
1Name four warning signs that could be related to a mental health concern.
Any four: inability to cope with stress; lasting sadness, anxiety, hopelessness or worthlessness; negative thoughts about oneself, others and the future; withdrawing; big changes in sleep or eating; dropping grades; using substances to cope; thoughts of suicide.
2What is the difference between normal stress and a warning sign?
Normal stress is linked to a situation, is short-lived and you can still cope. A warning sign is intense, lasts weeks, and gets in the way of daily life (or involves thoughts of suicide).
Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4, and repeat.
4What number do you call or text for the Suicide Crisis Helpline?
5If a friend tells you they're thinking about suicide and asks you to keep it secret, what should you do?
Don't keep it secret. Stay with them, tell a trusted adult right away, or call/text 9-8-8 or 911.
6Name two ways to support a friend who is struggling.
Examples: notice and ask how they are, listen without judging, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, go with them to the counsellor, check in later, include them.
More practice: warm-up
1True or false: everyone has mental health.
2True or false: asking someone if they're thinking about suicide puts the idea in their head.
False. Asking directly shows care and opens the door to help.
3What is the Kids Help Phone text option?
4Name one healthy coping strategy that involves your body.
Examples: box breathing, muscle relaxation, a walk, exercise, sleep.
5Is mental illness treatable?
Yes. With support and treatment, many people recover or manage it well.
More practice: on your own
1Rewrite this negative thought in a more balanced way: "Nobody likes me."
Example: "I feel left out today, but my cousin and my teammate care about me. I can reach out to someone."
2Why is using alcohol or drugs to cope a warning sign rather than a coping strategy?
It might numb feelings for a short time but can worsen mood and anxiety, harm the developing brain, lead to dependence, and doesn't solve the problem. Using substances to cope suggests someone needs support.
3A classmate posts "I won't be a problem for anyone much longer." What should you do?
Treat it as a possible sign of suicide risk: tell a trusted adult right away, reach out to the classmate if you can, and if there's immediate danger call 911. You can also call or text 9-8-8 for advice. Don't wait or assume it's a joke.
4Explain why stigma can stop people from getting help.
Stigma makes people feel ashamed, weak or afraid of being judged, so they hide symptoms and avoid asking for help, which can let problems get worse.
5Give an example of a coping strategy from each type: body, thoughts, connection.
Body: box breathing or a walk. Thoughts: replacing a harsh thought with a balanced one. Connection: talking to a friend, family member, Elder or counsellor.
Challenge
1Using the continuum, explain why it's helpful to think of mental health as something that can change.
It shows that everyone moves along the continuum (from healthy to reacting and back) and that people who are injured or ill can move back with support, coping and treatment. It reduces stigma, encourages getting help early (in the reacting or injured stage), and reminds us not to label people.
2Your friend has seemed hopeless for a month and says "maybe things would be easier if I wasn't around." Write what you would say and do, step by step.
- Stay calm and ask directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" 2) Listen and take it seriously: "I'm really glad you told me." 3) Don't promise secrecy: "I care about you too much to keep this to myself." 4) Connect to help now: go with them to a trusted adult or counsellor, or call/text 9-8-8 together; if they're in immediate danger, call 911. 5) Follow up later and keep including them. 6) Take care of yourself too, and talk to an adult about how you feel.
3Design a school-wide "mental health week" with four activities that teach warning signs, coping and help-seeking, and reduce stigma.
Model: 1) Assembly with a guest speaker on warning signs and the continuum. 2) Daily 3-minute breathing or grounding practice in homeroom. 3) Posters with Kids Help Phone, 9-8-8 and how to find the counsellor. 4) A "words matter" campaign replacing stigmatizing language. 5) Walk-and-talk lunch clubs. Each activity should teach a skill, give help information, or reduce stigma.
Quiz
1. Which is most likely a warning sign of a mental health concern?
2. What should you do if a friend tells you they're thinking about suicide?
3. Which is a healthy coping strategy?
4. What is the number for Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline?
5. Asking someone directly if they're thinking about suicide...
6. On the mental health continuum, people...
About this content: This lesson covers C3.2 and quotes its wording, including thoughts of suicide as a warning sign. It is factual, focuses on getting help, and has no humour block. If your teen seems distressed by it, pause and talk.
Facts used: 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text, 24/7, Canada-wide since November 2023); Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868; Hope for Wellness Help Line 1-855-242-3310; asking directly about suicide does not increase risk. The continuum diagram is adapted from the Mental Health Continuum Model used in Canada (healthy, reacting, injured, ill).
How to help at home:
- Share your own healthy coping strategies out loud.
- Ask "How are you, really?" at calm times (car rides and walks work well).
- Know the warning signs. If you notice them in your teen for two weeks or more, contact your family doctor or the school's mental health staff. If you're worried about suicide, ask directly and get help right away (9-8-8, 911, or the nearest emergency department).
Common difficulties: treating all sadness as illness (or all warning signs as "just a phase"); believing they must solve a friend's problems alone; keeping a friend's suicidal thoughts secret.