Section Title

Mental Health &

Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy
Identifying and Challenging NATs
Problem Solving Therapy
Communication Styles
Crisis Intervention
Mental Health

All of us have mental health and, like our bodies, our minds
can become unwell.

1 in 10 young people will experience a mental health

problem.

These include depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorders,

psychosis or bipolar disorder.

It’s important to talk about mental health and get help early if
things don’t feel right, just like we would for our physical
health.
Time to
Change
No one should feel ashamed about having a mental
health problem, they wouldn’t if they had a broken leg.

Today we’re going to learn a bit more about mental health,

challenge some of the common myths, and find ways to
boost it.
 What is mental health?

Put your hands up if you are able to say:

“I am okay– the person who will probably be the most
comfortable, happy and successful in life.
 Definition of mental
health
"The capacity to live a full, productive life as well as the
flexibility to deal with its ups and downs. In children and
young people it is especially about the capacity to learn,
enjoy friendships, to meet challenges, to develop talents
and capabilities.”
Source: Young Minds 1999

“Mentally healthy individual as one who is well-adjusted to

the complexities and demands of his environment stresses,
emotional and physical disorders, economic wants,
spiritual impoverishments and social upheavals. “Bucu et
al1993
How to feed your white wolf/dog?
Your
Section
Way Title
to
Wellbeing
Understanding the causes of depression

Behavioral Theory
Depression arises primarily from a chronic lack of positive
reinforcement.
 Social Cognitive Theory
Focus on individual beliefs about their ability to act on and
influence their environment.
 Cognitive Theory
Thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs that are implicated in the
development of adolescent depression
“By learning how our
thoughts and actions
influence our feelings, we
can learn to manage our
depression.”
• Thoughts are things we say to
ourselves.
• Some are accurate. Some are wrong.
• Some are even just opinion.
• Pick what you say to yourself carefully.
• By talking with others we can also see
whether others see things the way we
do, or whether they have a different
point of view.
Depression is not all in your head
Depression is affected by what you do,
how you think, and what happens to you
And how you react to what happens to
you
 Different people have different thought processes
at the same time.
Person 1 (Angry): “That idiot has no right to treat me that way.”
Person 2 (Depressed): “This lack of consideration means they don’t love
me.”
Person 3 (Jealous): “This means they care more about someone else.”
Person 4 (Hurt): “I don’t deserve to be treated poorly because I am
always considerate.”
Person 5 (Guilty): I must have done something to upset them.”
Person 6 (Anxious) “This must mean they’re losing interest in me”
Person 7 (Happy) “Great, now can use this as an excuse to end our
relationship.”
Person 8 (Annoyed): I am not prepared to put up with this behavior
Person 9 (Disappointed) I wish they had been more considerate
Person 10 (Ashamed): They must have found out something about me.
How can I help a depressed friend?
 How can I help a depressed friend?

Communication
•Spend short period of time
frequently throughout the
day.
•Use simple concrete words.
•Allow time for the client to
respond.
 How can I help a depressed friend?

Listen and ask about suicidal

plans

Avoid laughing, joking, and

“acting cheerful”
 How can I help a depressed friend?

Avoid use of value

judgments, use neutral
comments instead.

XXX “You look nice this

morning.”
 How can I help a depressed friend?

• Don’t take things

personally
• Don’t try to fix them
• Don’t give advise
• Don’t minimize or compare
their experience
Some signs that might indicate your friend is
having serious suicidal thoughts include:
• frequent mood swings or
personality changes
• talking about death or dying
• purchasing a weapon
• increased substance use
• risky or dangerous behavior
Some signs that might indicate your friend is
having serious suicidal thoughts include:
• getting rid of belongings or giving
away treasured possessions
• talking about feeling trapped or
wanting a way out
• pushing people away or saying
they want to be left alone
• saying goodbye with more feeling
than usual
 10 things not to say to someone with
depression
1. “I know how you feel”
2. “You need to exercise”
3. “It’s al in your head”
4. “Think positive”
5. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself”
6. “Look at how lucky you are”
7. “Everyone has problems”
8. “Life is really hard”
9. “Do something different”
10. “Get a different job. School.. Friends”
8 Section
Ways toTitle
Wellbeing
Talking being open with people I trust about how I’m feeling.

Exercising looking after my body, playing sport, eating healthy.

Calming trying meditation, good sleep habits like turning my phone off early.

Learning a new skill, a great way to gain confidence.

Relating spending time with the people I care about.

Contributing helping others or contributing to causes I believe in.

Creating expressing myself creatively e.g. music, art, drama, writing.

Congratulating being kind to myself, or listing the qualities I value in myself.

What people “With so many new opportunities, I
can now say with complete honesty

said that I am excited for my future – a

future where people will always stare
“Because young people should be able to and ask, “what happened to your
talk about mental health more openly. I feel arms?”, but a future where I can tell
very strongly that mental health problems them, with a smile, that I beat my
can happen to anyone no matter how demons.” Ashton
intelligent or from what background you are.
I am a very sociable person with lots of
friends and I don’t think people would have
expected it to happen to me.” Louise
“I am also
working to
improve my diet
and cycle more to
“It’s the little things that count. If you ever are struggling with what to
fight the big
say/do when a friend opens up to you about their mental health, please
‘black dog’.”
don’t shut them out. Patience and an open mind are the only
James
requirements necessary to be supportive. You don’t need to be an
expert on the subject to be an effective listener.” Emily
Section Title

Thank You