Mental Health Resources

Mental health is important for our overall well-being, just like physical health.

But what is mental health?

Mental health is the state of your mental and emotional well-being. Our mental health is comprised of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and moods.

Good mental health helps you feel, think, and act in ways that help you enjoy life and cope with its challenges. Life is full of challenges, and positive and negative emotions are normal. When someone is struggling with mental health, they may have negative changes in mood, thought patterns, and behaviours for long periods.

It helps to talk about what you are going through. There are safe and reliable mental health phone lines and online chats available, such as Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868 or www.kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat). You will find many more resources below.

How do I take care of my mental health?

Here is some advice from the Government of Canada:

Know and accept that life can be challenging.
Know and accept your strengths and weaknesses.
Set realistic goals for yourself.
Accept yourself and others. This is the basis of self-esteem.
Learn to recognize and understand that you and others have both positive and negative feelings.
Create a sense of meaning in your life by learning and trying new activities, like starting a hobby.
Create healthy, trusting relationships with people who accept and support you.

You can learn more about improving mental health here (opens new window).

Knowing and expressing our emotions - even negative ones - can help improve our mental health.

Relax with a Book

Did you know reading is fantastic for your mental health? It's true! Reading actually helps lower stress levels. Here are some books about mental health and wellbeing.

Mental Health eBooks from OCDSB's Sora Collection

Find the Resources You Need

YSB-24/7 Crisis Line & Chat: Services available for children and youth ages 18 & under and for parents, guardians and friends concerned about a young person in crisis. 613-260-2360 or online chat https://www.ysb.ca/services/ysb-mental-health/24-7-crisis-line/

Distress Centre of Ottawa-Carleton: Available to all residents regardless of age. Crisis Line 613-238-3311 or chat service https://www.dcottawa.on.ca/chat-text-services/

LGBTQ Youthline: Provides confidential, informed, LGBTTQ2SI peer support that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 & under) 1-800-268-9688. Text or live chat is also available at https://www.youthline.ca/

Mental Health Crisis Line: 24/7 crisis line for all ages. 613-722-6914 (within Ottawa) or 1-866-996-0991 (outside of Ottawa) https://www.dcottawa.on.ca/

Hope for Wellness Helpline: Available for all Indigenous peoples across Canada, offers experienced and culturally competent counsellors 1-855-242-3310 or chat https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/. Phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.

Kids Help Phone: Provides non-judgmental, inclusive services available to young people across Canada 24/7. 1-800-668-6868 or chat www.kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat