REVIEWED BY DR. FRÉDÉRIC BENOIT, PSYCHIATRIST

The way society perceives mental health is often problematic. Mental health issues are not always well understood and may be the subject of misconceptions, particularly where young people are concerned. 

So, what is mental health, exactly?

Mental health in young people is a reflection of their well-being, particularly as it relates to:

• Themselves (their self-esteem)
• Others (friends, family, etc.)
• Their environment (school, sports, etc.)

While they may experience emotional highs and lows, they can strive to find inner balance every day by practising self-compassion, mentalization or mindfulness, for example. By using these tools every day and adopting healthy lifestyle habits, they will learn to stay more regulated. It just takes practice—much like learning a new sport.

Don’t hesitate 😌 to talk about mental health with your teenager or apply these techniques to your own life. It will allow you to model healthy coping mechanisms for your teen and may even bring the two of you closer together.

Why do teens in particular need to take care of their mental health?

Adolescence is a time of growth and discovery, and it’s also the ideal time to build a solid foundation of good mental health—social relationships, school pressure, and bodily changes can all be sources of stress or anxiety in a teen’s life. By learning how to properly manage their emotions, teens become better equipped to deal with any challenges they may face.  

Cultivating good mental health from a young age is key to developing healthy relationships with friends and family, loving and accepting yourself, developing a personality based on a strong foundation, and preventing anxiety and depression.