Copy Mental Health Feature -- DO NOT TOUCH
Putting Mental Health First
Apples for Your Mind
Staying Kind to Your Mind
Staying Sane at School
For decades, mental health was shrugged off as a secondary concern. Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks were dismissed as emotional phases, and despite numerous studies proving otherwise, the attitude remained prevalent for years afterward. As a result, many suffering from mental health issues struggled in silence, too scared to ask for help or dismissive of their symptoms.
Such stigma is particularly dangerous for high school students. With increasing academic and social pressure, high school represents the most at-risk period for mental health issues; consider that as recently as 2016, more than one in five youth aged 13 to 18 have contemplated suicide [1]. What’s worse is that although attitudes regarding mental health are changing, resources available are evolving far too slowly to accommodate the alarming increase of stress and anxiety, among other mental health illnesses, specifically in high school students.
MGCI guidance counsellor Ms. Jamal remarks that while mental health continues to grow as an issue, it often remains neglected: “It feels like there is increasing pressure to be the best, or to be good at everything. And at the same time, there is less emphasis on learning coping skills and having more downtime.”
To help students, there are numerous mental health initiatives, resources, and services available, both at Garneau and within the community. Unfortunately, Vice-Principal Ms. O’Flynn-Wheeler says, one of the major concerns is that students simply don’t know where they can get help: “We have a huge embarrassment of riches [resources], but most students don’t know where to find it.”
The importance of not only ensuring resources are in place, but also ensuring that students know that they are available 24/7 cannot be overstated. It’s at night when youth are most susceptible to suicidal thoughts, but it’s also the time when resources are often hardest to find—suicides are six times more likely to occur at night [2].
Ensuring that students understand the extent of the resources at their disposal encourages them to reach out when they need help, which is one of the major issues that Garneau has hoped to address. One of recent initiatives to tackle the issue is the creation of a bulletin board in the galleria to provide students with information on how and where to find help. The board, expected to be finished by the end of April, will be a collaboration between the Caring and Safe Schools committee and Mind Your Mind, a mental health-focused club at Garneau.
Faiyazul Hoque, the President of Mind Your Mind and a member of the Caring and Safe Schools Committee, agrees that a prominent issue is a lack of awareness towards available resources. “We first saw that the main problem was that people didn’t know that there was help available for them,” Faiyazul said. To help solve the issue, Mind Your Mind has held many workshops to help students de-stress, with activities varying from yoga to slime making to crystal bowl meditation. The club has also created a student safetalk group, for students who “may not feel comfortable talking to teachers at first.” He invites interested students to attend; the club hosts meetings Wednesdays at lunch in Room 248.
Art Council has also been involved in the school’s mental health initiatives. For this year’s annual mural project, Art Council designed a mural with the theme of mental health. President Shuyi Wang said, “We wanted to raise more awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma around it. Our mural design shows a staircase towards mental health and has basic advice for students written on each step.” The mural provides acknowledgement that mental health is a problem; one that can no longer be put off.
The distribution of wristbands and information cards by Mind Your Mind emphasizes this. Both were distributed at recent school-wide events, including the Semester 2 Clubs Fair, and the cards have since been posted in classrooms throughout the school. Beyond reminding students of the importance of mental well-being, the items provide a concrete resource for which students can reference if they are looking for help. Among the services listed on the cards are Kids Help Phone, Stress Centres of Toronto, and Sick Kids Hospital, but the cards also include the numerous services Garneau students have access to within the school. These include two youth outreach workers, therapists, social workers, and the school’s guidance counsellors. At any given time, there is a vast number of resources available, free of charge, be it in-person or online, at school or in the community.
Another recent action aimed towards raising awareness amongst students was the distribution of wristbands and information cards detailing additional resources inside and outside of school. The cards and wristbands were to serve as reminders to students of the resources available and emphasize the importance of taking care of their mental health. Both were distributed to students in school-wide events, most recently the Semester 2 Clubs Fair, and the cards were also posted in classrooms around the school, to remind students
Along with the several services listed on the card, including Kids Help Phone, Stress Centres of Toronto, and Sick Kids Hospital, Garneau students have access to two youth outreach workers, several therapists, social workers, and the school’s guidance counsellors. There is a vast number of resources available at any given time, free of charge, be it in-person or online, at school or in the community.
An increasing amount of awareness and acknowledgement remains pivotal in addressing youth mental health issues. More than that, Ms. Jamal observes, it’s also important that mental health is recognized as equally essential to our well-being: “We know that we need to take care of our physical health, even if we don’t always do it, but it’s easy to forget we also need to take care of our mental health.”
To any student reading, remember that your mental health is just as essential as your physical health. If you are ever struggling, don’t hesitate—reach out. There is always someone to support you.
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