Category: Mental Health - Teen Toolkit

How to deal with negative thoughts

3/12/2019

How often do you hear yourself saying things like, I'm so stupid, I'll never get good grades, I'm not good at anything, nobody likes me? These kind of thoughts can affect your behaviour and become self-fulfilling prophecies. With a bit of time and effort you can change your thinking.

Think about your self-talk and write down negative things you say to yourself.
For example, I'm not good at anything.

Judge your thoughts to see if there is any evidence that this is true.
For example, I can cook the best chocolate chip cookies. I get good grades in Math, I am great at Sodoku puzzles. You are good at three things (most likely more) so the statement, I'm not good at anything, is not true.

Replace the negative thought with a more positive one.
Next time you're tempted to say, I'm not good at anything, say something like I'm not great at spelling but I'm getting better.

All the best!

10 reasons you shouldn't drink alcohol if you're a teen

21/11/2019

Awesome Apps: Calm Harm

5/11/2019

Happy Place

29/10/2019

Read more at Brain Train Me.

October 22nd, 2019

22/10/2019

Sources:
https://www.keckmedicine.org/what-sugar-does-to-your-brain/
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/07/30/632480321/off-your-mental-game-you-could-be-mildly-dehydrated
https://parents.au.reachout.com/skills-to-build/wellbeing/self-care-and-teenagers
https://www.smilingmind.com.au/smiling-mind-app
https://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-reduce-stress-and-prepare-for-exams/

Alewife - Clairo

14/10/2019

Here is an excerpt from an interview with Claire Cottrill by Coup De Main Magazine. "That song is extremely special to me, just because it’s about an experience that I never really shared with a lot of people. In eighth grade, I was having a really hard time dealing with my depression that’s been on and off my whole life, and there was a time where I really felt like I didn’t want to be here anymore. And instead of making this song about how sad that is and how bad I felt in the moment, I wanted to make it about my friend Alexa who called the police when she suspected that I was feeling this way. Even if it was just the thought, she still cared enough to intervene and be a true friend, which is something I didn’t feel like I ever had and had never experienced until Alexa. So the song is really more of a love song to her and kind of a ‘thank you’ and a reminder to everyone else that there are people like Alexa that want to help uplift you and get you out of really terrible head-spaces. I’m in the best stage of my life right now, and I would have never known how great it was, but Alexa is a big part of my life and a big part of my story."
If you, or anyone you know, is having trouble coping call:
Headspace: 1800 063 267
Kid's helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14

Mindfulness 101: Drawing

26/9/2019

This is a great mindfulness activity that is quick and easy to do - all you need is a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. You're meant to do this with your non-dominant hand but I think it works with your dominant hand too. It was really relaxing. I even started colouring mine in.

Life changing conversation starter

12/9/2019

We've all had friends say it to us and we've all said it to our friends and family. "I'm fine" can be code for "I'm not really ok but I don't have the energy or words to explain and I'm not sure if you really want the truth." By asking "how are you really?" we are telling the other person that we care and want to help. Sometimes the act of talking about something can make them feel better. But if your friend shares that they want to hurt themselves or someone else, find an understanding adult who can help. Talk to a school counsellor, chaplain or teacher, a parent, aunty, family friend or someone else you can trust.

Paper tigers vs real tigers

10/9/2019

If you're anything like me you worry about a lot of stuff. We waste a lot of energy worrying about things that don't deserve our attention. There's a Chinese term zhilaohu which translates to 'paper tigers.' This refers to things that seem threatening or powerful but are actually weak and insignificant. If it can physically hurt you it is a real tiger, but if it can't it's a paper tiger.

You can read more at www.fosteringresilience.com.

CHALLENGE: Write down the things that you're worried about then decide if each one is a paper tiger or a real tiger.

Reading for six minutes a day reduces stress

29/8/2019

According to a recent study, reading for six minutes a day can reduce a person's stress level by 68 percent. You have to read silently for six minutes straight for this to work. Researchers from the Mindlab at the University of Sussex found that reading was more effective at reducing stress than listening to music, having a cup of tea or going for a walk. Researcher and cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis said, “Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation." Read more here.