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This is not a site for personal disclosure of mental health distress, suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department for assistance.

When should I get help?

This resource is powered by TeenMentalHealth.org. Check out their website for more information and resources.

Sometimes things will not be going so well and sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between a difficult time that you will be able to slog through and a difficult time that you will likely need help during. A situation in which you would benefit from speaking to a counselor can be really helpful so don’t hesitate to ask for that help. If you are not sure about what to do, calling Kids Help Phone (it's not just for kids) and speaking to a counselor there can help you make the decision. Their number is: 1-800-668-6868.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to differentiate if you are experiencing something more challenging; for instance, a mental health problem or a mental disorder. For something like that you may need to get help from a health professional such as a doctor, nurse, or psychologist. If you are thinking or feeling that your situation is overwhelming or if you are having thoughts about harming yourself or others, you should go to the nearest emergency room right away. If you have a friend who can go with you don’t hesitate to ask them to do that. Their support may be a big help.

Should I go to my Student Health Services with my concerns? Questions to ask myself:

  • Have I been feeling really out of sorts emotionally for over two weeks, most of the time each day? And I can’t really get feeling better in spite of what I try to do.
  • Have I begun to let my school work slip (missing classes, not doing my studying) because of how I have been feeling?
  • Have my friends or family members been telling me that they are concerned about how I am doing?
  • Have I cut down on my social life and my contacts with friends and family because of how I am feeling?
  • Am I having problems with my emotions, behavior, or thinking that I have had help for in the past but that are now re-emerging?
  • Have I been using alcohol or drugs more than others are using them or have I begun using alcohol or drugs to “help” me with how I am feeling or to take my mind off my problems?
  • Am I experiencing any of the following: thoughts of hopelessness or that life is not worth living; hearing voices when others are not hearing anything; thinking that people are wanting to harm me in some way, or are against me for some reason; feelings of despair; feelings of intense anxiety or panic for no reason; fatigue or numerous aches and pains (such as headaches) that seem to go along with my emotional difficulties?

If you answered YES to one or more of the questions above, please make an appointment to visit the Student Health Services or your family physician as soon as possible. Let the person you talk to know about what is concerning you. Remember, if you are concerned that you may harm yourself or someone else, please go immediately to your nearest hospital emergency room and let the staff there know what is happening.

If you have a friend you are concerned about, talk to them about your concerns, and go with them to where you think they may be helped most. Feel free to share this information with them.