A bit about mental health

Understanding and managing your thoughts, moods, and behaviours can seem complicated and confusing, especially if you are experiencing troublesome ones. If you or someone you know are struggling with understanding or managing your emotions and behaviours, click on some of the resources listed below or contact us at Frontenac Youth Services.
ANGER
Anger is an emotion that can simmer quietly or erupt loudly, and can sometimes feel uncontrollable.  Anger, when expressed and managed in a healthy manner, can help us advocate for our needs, can give us energy to tackle a challenge, and can bring out our passion for ideas and causes.  When anger becomes too difficult to manage, it can impact your interactions and relationships, your mood, your sleeping and eating habits, and your risk of harming yourself or others.  If you feel your anger could be becoming overwhelming, contact us at Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

BULLYING

Bullying is repeated destructive behaviour that can be physical, verbal, or social, and can leave you feeling hurt, angry, and afraid. The effects of bullying can last for years, and impact your self-esteem, ability to trust, sense of security, and overall mood. If you are being bullied, or would like support to stop bullying others, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

EATING DISORDERS

Eating disorders can be more complicated than trying to lose weight or restricting eating, and often stem from a mix of underlying factors.  Eating disorders can seriously impact one’s mood, relationships, self-perception, and physical and mental health.  If you feel you may have an eating disorder, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

GENDER & SEXUALITY

Gender identity or sexual orientation is your inner feelings of whether you’re female or male, both, or neither. Your gender identity isn’t seen by others.  Gender identity may be the same as the sex you were assigned at birth (cisgender) or not (transgender).

GRIEF

Grief occurs after a loss, either through death, the breakup of a romantic relationship, or any other major loss. Grief can have a large impact on your mood, interactions, appetite, sleep, thoughts, and body, and can be difficult to move through without appropriate supports. If you are struggling with a major loss and experiencing grief, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are an essential part of life, especially an adolescent’s life. From parents, to friends, to romantic partners, these relationships can be a significant source of enjoyment and support. Relationships can also be tricky to negotiate, and conflict in relationships can be a great source of upset. If relationships in your life are a struggle to manage or maintain, or are impacting you in a negative manner, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

SADNESS

Sadness is an emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives, but for some people sadness can feel overwhelming and interfere with their daily living.  Sadness can influence your level of enjoyment in pleasurable activities, your ability to sleep and eat well, your motivation, your sense of hope, and your engagement with others.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by sadness, contact us at Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

SELF HARM
Self-harm can be a form of expressing intense emotions, such as anger, worry, and sadness, and can happen when one is dealing with unrest in their life. Some say self-harm is a way to distract from emotional pain, and others say they engage in self-harm when they feel emotionally numb. There are healthier ways to cope with intense emotions and relationship conflict, and there are techniques to use that can reduce self-harm. If you feel self-harm is problematic in your life, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

SUBSTANCE USE

People can use substances for a variety of reasons, such as for fun, for experimentation, or for coping with stressors in life. Substances also range in type, from cigarettes, to alcohol, to marijuana, to meth-amphetamine. Use of substances can begin recreationally, but can escalate and can begin to interfere with school, work, relationships, your health and safety, and your emotional state. If the use of substances is interfering in your life, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

SUICIDE
Thoughts of suicide can occur when one is feeling depressed, when they feel there are no other options, when there is a lack of support from the people in their lives, or when they feel they can no longer cope with their current circumstances.  Suicidal thoughts do pass, and supports can be put in place to ensure safety and help re-establish hope.  If you are feeling at risk of seriously harming yourself, call the Durham Mental Health Services Crisis Response Line at 1-800-742-1890, the Kids’ Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868, or 9-1-1.  If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, contact Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

WORRY
Worry can help us plan for upcoming events and aid in making good choices, but when overwhelmed by worry you can feel as if your mind and heart is racing. Worry can influence your ability to relax, your sleeping and eating habits, your level of concentration, your irritability, your social life, and your ability to face everyday challenges. If you are feeling overwhelmed by worries, contact us at Frontenac Youth Services or visit the following websites for further support.

Need help at home?

  • Do you constantly argue with your parents or sister or brother?
  • Do you feel like the black sheep in your family?
  • Do you wish that you could talk to your parents or were closer to them but do not know how to approach them?
  • Do you feel you have disappointed your parents, or they want you to be someone you are not?
  • Do you feel very anxious for no reason, isolated, different than your friends or overly self-conscious?

Need help at school?

  • Do you feel depressed about school all the time?
  • Do you think you are “stupid”, and will never be successful?
  • Is it hard for you to talk about school to your parents and teachers?
  • Are there other students at school that are doing things that could be harmful to you, or other students in the school?

Need help in your community?

  • Do you worry about your friends?
  • Are you and your friends behaving in a way that worries or upsets you or would upset your family or relatives?
  • Are you involved in behaviours that could lead to court action, which might stop you from achieving your future plans?

IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO MORE THAN ONE QUESTION ABOVE, PLEASE CONTACT CENTRAL INTAKE

All teenagers have these feelings some times. Many adults have these feelings also. However, if you find that any of these feelings are with you frequently and are preventing you from doing what you want to do, or causing you to do things that you do not want to do, Frontenac Youth Services is here to help.

Contact Central Intake to get a referral at 1-888-454-6275

Other Sites and Resources

For further services and support in our community, please visit the websites of our partnering agencies listed below.

Kinark Child and Family Services

Kinark Child and Family Services is a leading children’s mental health organization in Ontario that provides evidence-based services that include individual, family and group counselling for children and youth living with mental health issues. Kinark supports children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families as well as offers institutionally and community-based forensic services. Kinark also operates the Kinark Outdoor Centre in Minden Ontario, providing programming, respite and therapeutic recreation.

Kinark Child and Family Services

Chimo Youth and Family Services

Chimo Youth and Family Services is a community based, not for profit agency, that helps with behaviour problems, anger problems, inability to get along, self management skills, social skills, school problems, responsibility, problem solving, separation and loss, depression, anxiety, self- injuring, suicidal attempt or talk, sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Chimo focuses its services on children and youth but understands the importance of family for it is within strong families that children and youth can dream, hope and realize their potential.

Chimo Youth and Family Services

HELP IS A POSSIBILITY. READ STORIES FROM OTHERS WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

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