“Mental Health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”
– World Health Organization
Good mental health is vital to our well-being. It provides us with a positive worldview, helps us to deal with life’s challenges, and supports healthy relationships with our friends, families and communities. Mental health helps us to reach our potential.
Here at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), we work closely with our educators and professional staff to ensure that our students’ well-being is paramount. We have strong community partnerships with our mental health organizations and continue to seek new opportunities to foster equitable access for all of our students.
“There is a clear relationship between student mental health problems and academic difficulties. When students are preoccupied with emotional concerns they cannot participate fully in learning. Similarly, students who are experiencing academic challenges due to learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or other learning problems can develop mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression as a result. These concerns also interfere with social relationships and contribute to feelings of low self-worth, anger, worry and confusion.”
– Mental Health ASSIST
The WRDSB recognizes the clear relationship between student mental health problems and academic difficulties. We know that mental wellness is a condition for learning. When we attend to student wellness in our school system and within our classrooms, students have a greater opportunity to reach their academic and social-emotional potential.
The WRDSB believes that the mental wellness of staff and students is critical to the achievement of our Vision, Mission and Strategic Directions. The WRDSB is committed to the Mental Health Strategy to support mental health and well‐being as it provide direction to support the overall health and wellness of our organization.
Mental health and mental illness: what’s the difference?
- Mental health and mental illness are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.
- “Mental health” is a concept similar to “physical health”: it refers to a state of well-being. Mental health includes our emotions, feelings of connection to others, our thoughts and feelings, and being able to manage life’s highs and lows.
- The presence or absence of a mental illness is not a predictor of mental health; someone without a mental illness could have poor mental health, just as a person with a mental illness could have excellent mental health.
VIDEO: Promoting Mental Health – Finding a Shared Language
You may find this video helpful as it will look at the difference between mental health and mental illness. What we know is that people with mental illness can also have positive mental wellness when they have the appropriate support.
