Mental Health &

Emotional Wellness

Navigating and supporting our mental and emotional well-being

Objectives:

• Define mental health and wellness
• Identify warning signs that mental health is not well
• List at least 3 coping strategies to support wellness

Mental Health: definitions

a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.

–Oxford Dictionary

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“Mental health is the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections, and personal dignity.”

– Public Health Agency of Canada, 2014

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Mental health: definitions cont’d

Health vs. Wellness

Signs our mental health is not well

Mental:

• Difficulty focusing
• Racing thoughts
• Excessive worry
• Trouble sleeping
• Long-lasting mood swings
• Feelings of despair or hopelessness
• Thoughts or plans of suicide or self-harm

Social:

• Withdrawing from friends, family, &/or community
• Easily angered, or showing rage, seeking revenge
• Threatening others
• Loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed

Physical:

• Sudden weight gain/loss
• Tiredness/lethargy
• Stomach aches
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle tension, jaw clenching in sleep
• Self-harm &/or suicide attempts

What we can do about it

Feeling—------------>

(Emotional dimension)

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Functioning—------>

(Psychological dimension)

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Thinking—---------->

(Mental dimension)

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Connecting—------>(Social dimension)

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Feeding the dimensions of wellness

2. What Is Mental Health and Wellness? – Starting A Conversation About Mental Health: Foundational Training for Students (opentextbc.ca)

Healthy Coping Strategies to Support Wellness

Red flags for Crisis–When to seek help right away

• Risk of hurting self or others
• Thoughts or plans of suicide, self-harm (cutting, scratching, or other harm to self), threatening to harm others)
• Displaying symptoms of acute trauma (sudden change in temperament, especially with strong/delayed reactions, sudden withdrawal, out of character tantrums)
• Impaired functioning
• Inability to perform typical daily tasks related to cognitive ability (memory, attention), mobility, self-care (dressing, hygiene), life activities (cooking, driving, homework/work tasks), or social functions (getting along with others).
• Inability to take care of self
• Dressing, grooming, eating, hygiene, going to bed/getting out of bed, etc.

Resources

• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
• Mobile Crisis Response Team: 775-688-1670
• Quest Crisis Management: 775-786-6880
• Vitality Crisis Intervention: 775-322-3668
• Children’s Cabinet Crisis Stabilization: 775-856-6200
• NAMI Warmline (adults): 775-241-4212 (non-crisis peer support)
• Get connected to counseling services: www.CareSolace.com/site/washoe
• Reno Behavioral Health: 775-393-2201
• Renown Hospital: 775-982-5318
• St. Mary’s Hospital: 775-770-3000
• Northern NV Medical Center: 775-331-7000