Taking the time to teach youth about mental health, how to deal with challenges and stress, and empowering them to create lives where their mental health can flourish, will support positive mental health across their lifespans.
The materials below share messaging and resources about how physical activity, nutrition, sleep, avoiding or reducing substance use, healthy relationships, and more, can all impact mental health! We invite you to download and share across your networks to help reduce the stigma around mental health issues and help youth enhance their mental health!
Campaign toolkit
(click or tap image to open larger version)
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How do you take care of your mental health? Share your tips with Northern Health & win a pair of Apple AirPods or a Fujifilm Instax Mini camera! Here’s how to enter:
Contest ends June 30, 2019 @ 11:59 pm PST and is only open to residents of Northern BC 13-24 years old. Winner will be selected by a panel of Northern Health judges and contacted via DM. No purchase is necessary. This promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Instagram. Link in bio for deets. |
How does the youth in your life take care of their mental health? Get them to share their tips on the Northern Health Instagram page & win a pair of Apple AirPods or a Fujifilm Instax Mini camera! |
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Vaping exposes you to harmful chemicals. Get the facts so you can make informed choices. |
What’s vaping? Before you talk with your teen about it, get the facts. |
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For an hour a day, take a social media break and focus on something else. It’ll still be there when and if you choose to catch up. For more healthy social media tips: https://mindyourmind.ca/wellness/healthy-social-media-habits |
Keeping up with your kid’s social media activity is important and challenging. Visit the Media Smarts parents’ section for free online training: |
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Be aware of what’s going on with your friends. Talking to them can help: https://foundrybc.ca/supporting-others/supporting-a-friend/ |
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Food + friends = good times! Eating with friends can be a great way to de-stress and have fun. It might be cooking together, sharing a picnic, or going to a local farmer’s market. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/study-self-care-whats-menu |
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Cannabis affects people differently, and may have different risks for different people. Before you use, think about your risks. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/cannabis-marijuana-and-psychosis.pdf |
The second most popular substance among youth is cannabis. Before you talk to your teen, get the facts. https://www.drugfreekidscanada.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Cannabis-Talk-Kit_EN.pdf |
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There’s no one else like you. Love yourself – just the way you are! http://jessieslegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Factsheet_BodyImage-final.pdf |
You can help teens build positive body image and protect against disordered eating. Learn what you can do as a parent: http://jessieslegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Factsheet_DisorderedEating-final.pdf Encourage teens to think critically about media messages, reject unrealistic body ideals, and feel good about the bodies they were born to have: http://jessieslegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Factsheet_MediaLiteracy-final.pdf |
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Need to talk to someone? Connect with a counsellor with the Always There app! |
Does the young person in your life need to talk to someone? Connect them with a counsellor through the Always There app! |
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Take care of your mental health with the thinkFull app. It can help you deal with stress. https://thinkfull.ca/ |
Take care of your mental health with thinkFull. The app can help you or your teen deal with stress. |
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Vaping can put you at risk for long-term nicotine addiction and dependence. Get the facts so you can make informed choices. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping |
For smokers, vaping is less harmful than smoking. For youth, using any nicotine products can be harmful. |
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Kelty Mental Health has free resources that can help. Learn more at: |
Kelty Mental Health has free resources for families, educators, and health professionals. They also provide mental-health and substance-use information, resources, and support to children, youth, and their families in BC. |
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Tapping into your culture can make you feel more connected. Check out how youth in Kitselas are connecting to the culture in their community: |
Tapping into culture can make youth feel more connected. Check out how youth in Kitselas are connecting to the culture in their community: |
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Even if it seems hard, keep trying. Mindfulness can help: |
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Feeling stressed? Go for a brisk walk or a short jog, or do a set of jumping jacks to blow off some steam and get an energy boost. For more stress-busting tips, check out thinkFull: https://mindyourmind.ca/tools/thinkfull |
Physical and mental health are closely linked and influence each other. Supporting your family or youth to maintain a healthy lifestyle can help keep everyone feeling their best. |
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Understanding the health impacts of cannabis can help protect your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness. Learn more with @fnha: http://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/non-medical-cannabis-information |
Understanding the potential health impacts of cannabis can help protect your youth’s mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness. Check out FNHA’s resources on cannabis: http://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/non-medical-cannabis-information |
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Get through stress and bad days with mindfulness. Don’t know what that is? Check out the Breathr app. https://keltymentalhealth.ca/breathr |
Practicing mindfulness can help your teen deal with stress. Check out the Breathr app: |
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You’re never truly alone - there’s always someone who cares about you. There’s always a reason to keep going. https://youthinbc.com/ |
It’s important to tell the youth in your life that they’re never truly alone - there’s always someone who cares about them. There’s always a reason to keep going. |
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Life is full of ups and downs. Speak up, rest, take care of yourself, and connect with others – it can help! http://jessieslegacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Factsheet_Resilience-final.pdf |
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Being active during the day helps you sleep better – do your best to fit some physical activity into each day. More healthy sleep tips: https://mindyourmind.ca/wellness/how-stay-well-rested |
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Feel like you’re spending all your time keeping up with your social media accounts? Check out these tips on how to declutter your social media. https://foundrybc.ca/stories/tips-declutter-social-media/ |
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If you feel like your butt is cemented to the couch, you’re not alone! Buddy up and plan to do something with a friend. It’s easier to do an activity if someone else is counting on you. |
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Create nights you’ll remember forever and the next morning. Check out these safer drinking tips: |
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Who we spend time with can affect how we think and feel. So what makes a relationship healthy? Learn more! |
Who your teen spends time with can affect how they think and feel. So what makes a relationship healthy? Learn more: |
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When it comes to suicide, asking questions can save a life. Learn how to ask questions and look for risks of suicide in your friends. If you or a friend are at risk, go to the nearest hospital or if you can’t get there safely, call 9-1-1 or the emergency number in your community: http://cssrs.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/Community-Card-Teens-2018c.pdf |
When it comes to suicide, asking questions can save a life. Learn how to ask questions and look for risks of suicide in your children, family, and friends. If you or a loved one are at risk, go to the nearest hospital or if you can’t get there safely, call 9-1-1 or the emergency number in your community: http://cssrs.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/Community-Card-2women-2018c.pdf |
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Anxiety is normal. Everyone experiences it at some point. Learn more about anxiety and when to reach out for help: https://www.anxietycanada.com/ |
Stomach aches, headaches, heart racing, fearful thinking, not being able to sleep — all these can be signs of anxiety in your kids. Learn more about anxiety and how to help at Here to Help BC or Anxiety Canada. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/factsheet/talking-to-your-child-or-teen-about-anxiety#share-this |
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It’s okay not to know. It’s okay if they don’t understand. If you or a friend are being bullied help is available: |
Looking for more information on sexual orientation and gender identify (SOGI)? Check out this resource for parents: |
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Food is more than just nutrition and physical health. It brings us enjoyment, culture and connection; it nourishes mind, body, and soul! Celebrate your relationship with food: focus on eating regularly and enjoying foods that make you feel good. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/making-friends-food-your-health |
Food is more than just nutrition and physical health. It brings us enjoyment, culture and connection; it nourishes mind, body, and soul! Celebrate your family’s relationship with food: focus on eating regularly and enjoying foods that make everyone feel good. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/making-friends-food-your-health |
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Are you Indigenous and need to talk to someone? Call the KUU-US Crisis Line 1-800-KUU-US17 (1-800-588-8717) for culturally safe support. |
The KUU-US Crisis Line 1-800-KUU-US17 (1-800-588-8717) has culturally safe support for adults and youth: http://www.fnha.ca/about/news-and-events/news/fnha-partners-with-kuu-us-on-culturally-safe-crisis-response |
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Growing up comes with lots of changes. This can affect how you feel about your body. Don’t worry! You’ll grow into the body that you’re meant to have — perfect for you! Feeling unsure? Talk to an adult you trust. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/recipe-your-best-beach-body |
Growing up brings lots of changes for your teen. It’s important they know that they’ll grow into the body that they’re meant to have — perfect for them! https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/recipe-your-best-beach-body |
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Self-care idea: learn a new language! First Voices is an Indigenous Language site: https://www.firstvoices.com/ |
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Sleep better, friend better – life gets better when you get active! Check out ParticipACTION to learn how to better everything in your life: |
Kids + steps + sweat = healthier, happier brains! Boosting activity levels can decrease anxiety, improve self-esteem, and so much more! https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/resources/report-card |
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Everyone has mental health. Everyone can enhance their mental health. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/youth-mental-health-north |
Everyone has mental health. Everyone can enhance their mental health. https://stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/youth-mental-health-north |
