Young people's mental health

Test Anxiety

The intent of this booklet is to help students and parents better understand test anxiety, and to provide methods to help students cope with test anxiety and ultimately be successful in their courses. Students should read this booklet carefully, consider which aspects of test anxiety apply to them, and then identify coping strategies that may help address the anxiety.

Young People: Self-injury

Self-injury (also called nonsuicidal self-injury or NSSI) is not uncommon: 15-20% of youth and young adults report self-injury. However, there are a lot of misconceptions and assumptions about self-injury, which can prevent people from getting help they need and working towards recovery. In this issue of Visions, learn more about self-injury, find strategies to help you in your own recovery, see how you can support a loved one, find support and resources, and learn from others who are navigating different parts of their own recovery journeys.

I’m a young person and one of my parents has a mental illness. What can I do?

Someone else’s illness is not your fault. You also can’t control how someone else feels, their illness, or the things they do or say. What you can do is take care of yourself. Learning more about your parent’s illness can make it a bit easier to understand what they experience.

Where can I find child and youth mental health services?

Author: Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division

To find help for a child or youth, you can:

Encourage your child to talk to a teacher or school counsellor
Talk to your family doctor or pediatrician, or go to a walk-in clinic

Help your Child Overcome Perfectionism

Perfectionistic children and teenagers often have rigid “black-and-white” thinking. Things are either right or wrong, good or bad, perfect or a failure. Help your child see the gray areas in-between. For example, something can have a flaw, and still be beautiful.

How to Cope with Nightmares

Nightmares are common childhood experiences, but can be stressful events for both parents and children, especially when they occur frequently. After waking from a nightmare, children often seek support from parents by calling out or running to their room.

How to do Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This exercise will help your child learn how to relax when he or she is feeling anxious or stressed. It can also help reduce physical problems such as stomachaches and headaches, as well as improve sleep.

Falling Off a Cliff at 19

Transitions are periods of change. The change can be positive, negative or both. How a person makes a transition is often dependent upon the degree of support that is available to them. This holds true whether it’s an adult making a move between jobs or an adolescent moving from being a teenager to a young adult.

Young People: Transitions

Young people face numerous challenging transitions as they grow up and make their way into their adult years. Throughout this journey young people with mental health or substance use problems often face extra obstacles. In this issue we explore the complexities of these transitions, the factors that can help or hinder them, as well as the people and programs that are working to support young people as they go through these important life changes.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Young People

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a major trauma.

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Young people&#039;s mental health

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Young people's mental health