Category: Mental Health - Teen Toolkit

Self-Confidence

20/12/2018

Self-confidence is an attractive feature. This is different to arrogance or egotism - it's knowing that you are ok, just the way you are. It is also a quality that not many of us possess. Even people who seem confident are often just faking it. So how do you get it?

Ignore your inner mean girl and start repeating some positive affirmations about yourself.
Write a list of your strengths, achievements and things that are unique about you.
Visualise a fantastic version of yourself.
Help others - this takes your mind off of you and makes you feel better about yourself.
Take care of yourself - physically and mentally. Treat yourself like a V.I.P.

Holiday Blues

18/12/2018

The holidays are meant to full of fun so why do so many teenagers feel down and depressed? Even though you might not enjoy the school routine, it can be a safe place. You have too much time to think when you're on holidays. You may feel isolated from your friends. There may be family tensions. There are some things you can do to be in a good head space on the holidays:
Get enough sleep
Make plans to see friends
Be creative and get crafty
Volunteer somewhere
Eat well
Get some exercise each day.
If you're really struggling, get help. Talk to your parents or a trusted adult. Call one of the numbers above. This too will pass.

Life Lesson - Drugs and Alcohol

27/11/2018

Alcohol and drugs can have serious side effects such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and death from overdose. They can also make you look ugly:

tooth decay
facial sores
accelerated aging of the skin
bloodshot eyes
red rash all over the body
cellulite

The good news is, you can have a good time without drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

Overcoming Trauma - Elizabeth SMart

22/11/2018

Warning: this is pretty confronting but very powerful. Sexual assault is a terrible thing to happen to someone and it happens more than you realise. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1 in 6 (1.5 million) women and 1 in 9 (992,000) men were physically and/or sexually abused before the age of 15. But it doesn't have to destroy you or define you.

Teen Compass

10/11/2018

Image courtesy of http://www.theteencompass.org

Teen Compass has a Wellness Assessment survey that you can work through and see what areas of your life might need a bit of work. It covers relationships, emotions, spirituality, rest and play, resilience, care for body, organisation and school and work. You can find it here.

Do things you love

23/10/2018

If you're in high school then you are either in the middle of exams or they are fast approaching. Most likely you are fairly stressed and anxious. Just remember, you are not defined by the score you get at the end of year 12. For the sake of your mental health, schedule in time to do things you love. Doing this will put you in a better frame of mind and the time that you do spend studying will be more productive. There are some ideas above if you're stuck.

R U Ok?

11/9/2018

It's R U Ok day on Thursday. This great video explains how to help people who are not doing ok.

Self Love - Bath time Bliss

18/8/2018

When you're stressed you need to make some time to be kind to yourself - even if you're busy. One of my favourite ways of looking after myself when I'm feeling a bit stressed is to run a hot bath, light a scented candle or turn on my vaporiser, put on some tunes and read a magazine. The restorative power of water is amazing.

Treat Myself - Meghan Trainer

6/8/2018

This is Meghan's explanation of the song from the Zach Sang Show: I was uneducated about anxiety and how it could physically rattle you. I assumed no one had experienced what I was going through because when I would tell my mom ‘I’m going to the emergency room because I can’t breathe right now’ she would be like ‘no, no, I’ll come rub your head.’ The songs that came after this, I was like, ‘ha ha!’ I did one song called ‘Treat Myself’ and it was about how, finally, when my therapist looked at me and was like, ‘Look at you! You’re not shaking anymore and you’re not miserable and sad! You’re like, really happy and everything is going great for you — don’t forget to treat yourself and do something for you. Go get a spa day or do something. I bought a car and was like, ‘treat myself!'

Grief

4/8/2018

I just found out that my dog has a brain tumour and is dying. I love her like one of my own children so I am absolutely devastated. Grief is a normal part of life, whether you have lost a pet, a family member, a friendship... At the time it feels overwhelming but you have to remember that it will pass. Headspace has some tips about dealing with grief, including the SORT acronym above. You can read more here.