Mental health is an important part of our overall health and well-being. People can develop symptoms of a mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia for several reasons. Some people who are experiencing poor mental health or symptoms of a mental illness may have thoughts of suicide.
If you, or someone you know, is in crisis call or text the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988. If you are having thoughts of committing a suicide or causing self-harm, call 911 or visit your nearest Emergency Department.
Everyday tips to take care of your mental health
- Try to sleep well every night.
- Participate in physical/outdoor activity.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Avoid social isolation.
- Be mindful about your technology use.
Getting help
It is important to reach out if you are struggling with poor mental health. You are not alone, and there are resources available in our community to help you.
Some of the online resources to support you are:
- Bounce Back – 1-800-345-0224. If someone is experiencing low mood, depression, and anxiety, BounceBack can help. Through BounceBack, adults and youth 15+ learn skills to help manage worry and anxiety, combat unhelpful thinking, and become more active and assertive. A referral from a health care provider may be needed to access some of their services.
- AccessMHA – A resource (bilingual) that allows those who are 16 years of age and older to access mental health, substance use health, and addictions support services. AccessMHA will pair people with a trained mental health, substance use health and addictions intake specialist who will connect individuals to the services one needs from a network of partner organizations.
- Be Safe App – Download this app! It provides a list of Mental Health Services available within a specific region. It is a tool that allows one to create a safety plan with tips and suggestions.
For additional resources and information, visit Getting Help.
More Services for a younger population include:
- Children’s Mental Health Services is a local agency that offers counselling and crisis support. You can talk to someone in person or over the phone (1-844-GO2-CMHS). They are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:30. They have local offices in Belleville, Trenton, Madoc, Picton, and Bancroft; there are contact details for each location on their website. You can access after hours support by calling your local office and pressing option 2.
- Kids Help Phone offers 24-hour support by text, phone, and an online chat from 7 p.m. to midnight, every day. The website also has numerous resources for students to explore, including information on mental health and substance use.
- Call: 1-800-668-6868
- Text: CONNECT to 686868
Visit our Mental Health Literacy page for more resources related to school children’s mental health and well-being.
Video Resources
- How to Talk about Mental Health – Ottawa Public Health
- Building Resilience – Dr. Mike Evans
- 90:10 Stress – Psychology Foundation of Canada
