May 3rd, 2023

This week is Mental Health Week. The theme this year is #MyStory, which invites people to share their personal journeys. To help break the stigma in speaking about mental health and well-being, this week we are profiling a few staff and students, who shared with us how they support their mental health, and what advice they would give to others.

Name: Emily
Grade: 12
School: Elmira District Secondary School

Q: What sorts of things do you do to support your mental health & wellness?

A: To support my mental health, I choose to do things that don’t take a lot of motivation and that I come out of feeling refreshed and productive. Some examples would be going for a walk, reading, a picnic with a friend in the summer, painting, journaling, or simply going for a drive. All of these things give me a sense of relief and allow me to feel like I did something productive as opposed to scrolling on my phone for hours.

Emily's craft

Emily enjoys creative activities to support her mental health.

Q: Who do you go to when you need support?

A: When I feel that I need support I usually go to the social worker at my school or my mom. Both are people that I feel comfortable honestly talking to about what is going on, and what action I think needs to be done in order for me to get back on track. Their support and encouragement definitely gives me the first push to get myself back where I need to be.

Q: What advice would you give to another student who feels like they need support?

A: Some advice I would give to another student is definitely take that first step into getting support. As often as it may feel that you are alone, you’re not. There is always someone who may not understand exactly what you are going through, but they are definitely willing to listen and do as much as they can to provide support in any way they can.

Emily walking with friends

“It may feel that you are alone, you’re not,” says Emily.