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Mental Health in Canadian Adolescents

• Mental Health: state of well-being where the individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life , can work productively, and is able to contribute to his or her community (World Health Organization, 2014)

• Many developmental and physical changes occur during adolescent years

• Children and youth respond to life stressors differently depending on their developmental stage (Austin, 2010)

Statistics

• 15% or 1.2 million children and youth are affected by mental illness (Mood Disorder Canada)

• Most common mental health disorder between age 4-17 is anxiety with 6.5% Canadian youth being affected (Gajewski-Nowel, 2010; Scwartz et al., 2012)

• 46% believe mental illness is an excuse for poor behavior

• Ages 10-14 have suicide rates of 10-13% and ages 15-19 have rates of 20-24% (Navanellan, 2012)

• This year, 2014, “Bell Let’s Talk Day” raised 5,472,585 towards reducing the stigma towards mental illness (Bell Canada, 2014)

PREVENTION

• Fewer than 25% of children that have mental illness actually receive specialized treatment (Austin 2010, Schwartz, et Al 2012)

• Early Diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for children later in life (Huberty 2008)

• Education is key to addressing mental illness. Education is needed in such areas as signs to watch for related to mental illnesses, how to support someone with mental illness, how to promote one’s own mental health and how stigmas can negatively affect those with a mental illness.

• Given that children and youth spend a substantial part of each day within the school setting, these communities become a natural important venue for mental health service delivery.

FUTURE DIRECTION • Mental Health Commission was created in 2007 by Government of Canada and has helped

address the stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness. (MHCC, 2009) • School Based Mental Health in Canada- A Final Report which was done by the Mental Health

Commission in September 2013 highlighted numerous area in which mental health in schools could be promoted: to read the full report go to www.mentalhealthcommission.ca

• Numerous reports are surfacing showing the needs and directions that mental health promotion should take, for the future it is now necessary to take this knowledge and start to apply it!

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References

Austin, W. (2010). Mental health assessment of children and adolescents. In W. Austin & M.A. Boyd (Eds.). , Psychiatric and mental health nursing for Canadian practice (2nd ed., Chapter 26, pp.631-650). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Bell Canada. (2014). Bell let's talk. Retrieved from http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/

Gajewski-Noel, J. (2010). Psychiatric disorders diagnosed in children and adolescents. In W. Austin & M.A. Boyd (Eds.), Psychiatric and mental health nursing for Canadian practice (2nd ed., Chapter 28, pp.678-717). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Huberty, T.J. (2008). Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: Assessment, intervention, and prevention. [DX Reader version]. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com.cyber.usask.ca/book/10.1007%2F978-1-4614- 3110-7

Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2009). Toward recovery & well-being: A framework for a mental health strategy for canada. Calgary, AlbertMood Disorders Society of Canada. (2009). Quick facts: Mental illness and addiction in Canada. Retrieved from http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca/documents/Media Room/Quick Facts 3rd Edition Eng Nov 12 09.pdfa: Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2013) School based mental health in Canada- a final report . Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/system/files/private/document/ChildYouth_School_Based_Mental_Health_Canada_Final_Report_ENG.pdf

Navaneelan, T. Health Statistics Division, (2012). Suicide rates: An overview. Retrieved from Government of Canada website: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-624- x/2012001/article/11696-eng.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2011). Mood disorders. Retrieved from Government of Canada website: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2010002/article/11265-eng.htm

World Health Organization. (2014). Health topics: Mental health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/topics/mental_health/en/