These booklets are written in plain, clear language to help anyone learn more about mental health and mental illness. Each booklet is recorded, so you can listen along while you read.
Mental health is the way that you think, feel and act. Good mental health means that you can solve problems, see a situation for what it really is, and follow your own goals. Anyone can take care of their mental health, even if they have a mental illness.
A mental illness is a health problem that changes the way you think, feel and act. If you have a mental illness, you can find help. You can also learn skills to boost your mental health.
This series of booklets will help you learn about mental health and mental illness. You will learn skills that anyone can use. You will learn how to deal with problems that can affect anyone, like anxiety and anger. You will also learn about different kinds of mental illnesses. You will learn what to do if you have a mental illness and where to find help. You can also use these booklets if someone you love has a mental illness. It can be easier to support someone else if you know more about the problem.
Tips for good mental health
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You probably know about taking care of your body. You might to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. This is good for your mind, too. Taking care of your mental health is not about feeling happy all the time. Good mental health is about handling stress and taking care of problems. In this booklet, you will learn different ways to take care of your mental health.
Fraser Health's South Asian Health Institute updated and translated this booklet for South Asian Community members. You can read or download a copy in the following languages:
What is anger?
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Everyone feels angry or mad at times. It is normal to feel angry when you are hurt of upset. Anger can cause problems, though. Some people feel angry often, even when they do not need to be angry. Other people do not handle anger very well. In this booklet, you will learn different ways to deal with anger. You will learn about show to solve problems, how to stand up for yourself without hurting other people, and how to use healthy thinking skills.
What is anxiety?
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Anxiety is a feeling that tells us something is wrong. You can see anxiety in your thoughts, in the way your body feels, and the way you react to a situation. Some anxiety is helpful. For example, anxiety can get you away from something dangerous. At other times, anxiety is not helpful. It can get in the way of your goals and stop you from doing things you like. This booklet will help you deal with this unhelpful anxiety. You will learn different skills to use, like standing up to unhelpful anxiety and solving problems.
What is a mental illness?
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A mental illness is a health problem that affects your mind. A mental illness changes the way you think, act and feel. Anyone can experience a mental illness. In this booklet, you will learn about different kinds of mental illnesses. You will also learn how to find help for a mental illness and different ways a doctor might treat a mental illness.
What is depression?
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Depression is a mental illness that changes your mood. Your mood is the way you feel. Happy and sad are two different moods. Depression makes you feel sad or hopeless. It makes it hard to enjoy life. In this booklet, you will learn more about depression. You will learn what you can do about depression and where you can kind help. This is also good to read this booklet if someone you love has depression.
Grief is something you experience when you lose something. It is not the same as depression, grief and depression can have some of the same signs. You will also learn about grief in this booklet.
What is suicide?
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Suicide means ending your life. People die by suicide for many different reasons. It can mean that they had very difficult feelings and did not know what else to do. Thinking about suicide can be very scary. It is important to remember that thinking about suicide does not mean that you will end your life. In this booklet, you will learn what to do if you think about suicide. Losing someone you love to suicide is also very difficult. This booklet will also help if you have lost a loved one to suicide.
Note for educators
These booklets are written at a Grade Four reading level. Please contact us if you’d like to provide feedback on these resources!
