🧠 Mental Health: Why it’s Important and Where to Find Help

❗Important: Too many people face mental-health crises without the support or care that they need. If you or someone you know has feelings or thoughts about hurting yourself or others, it’s extremely important that you let someone know. You can also call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline anytime at the number “988.” They offer free, 24/7 confidential support and resources in both English and Spanish. They also have a “chat” option on their website that you can access from a computer or a phone.  

 

Mental health is all about how we think and feel. 

• It can be affected by many things. 
• Your mental health is related to your feelings, thoughts and experiences, among other things. As a result, mental health is unique to each person. 
• No one else will have the exact same mental health experience as you.  

Just like we take care of our physical health by eating healthy, sleeping and exercising, we also need to take care of our mental health.  

• Our brain, just like any other part of our bodies, can sometimes get run down or not feel its best.
• When our brain is not feeling its best, it can affect our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. 

Moving to a new country where the culture, language, and rules are different from your home country is an intense experience, and can be overwhelming. It’s normal to feel scared, sad, angry, and many other emotions. You are not alone – there are many children (and adults!) who experience the same or similar feelings.  

However, when these feelings become so strong that they interfere with our daily life, it may be:  

• a sign of deeper emotional stress, like depression or anxiety
• time to reach out for help 

This article covers some important basics about mental health, such as: 

• 😟 What are depression and anxiety?
• 👥 What is therapy?
• 💆🏾‍♀️What can I do to help my mental health?
• 🔍Where can I find mental health resources? 

 

1. 😟 What are depression and anxiety? 

ANXIETY is a feeling similar to worry and fear, and it’s a normal reaction to stress.  

• It can sometimes cause physical symptoms; like a fast heartbeat, a stomachache, or trouble breathing. 
• Sometimes people feel anxious about things that are going to happen in the future, and sometimes they might not even know why they're feeling anxious.  

You can think of anxiety like an alarm system; your body sends a message that there may be danger. In many situations, anxiety helps to keep us safe and on track. For example, feeling anxious about a test may push you to study more. Or feeling anxious about a dangerous situation may make you want to leave and find safety.  

Although anxiety is a natural and often healthy emotion, feeling anxious for very long periods of time can cause problems, and keep us from doing the things that we want to do.  

• Some people have very sensitive “alarm systems,” and they may feel anxious even when there is no/very little danger.
• Feeling very anxious all the time can also be a sign of an anxiety disorder, which can affect a person’s ability to sleep, their physical health (it can make them more likely to get sick), their relationships, their ability to do well in school or at their job, and their ability to handle day-to-day activities.  

 

DEPRESSION is a deep feeling of sadness or hopelessness that lasts for a long time. Feeling sad about a difficult situation can be normal, but depression may cause a person to feel sad and hopeless even after the situation gets better, or seemingly for no reason. 

Depression can make people feel like they don't have any energy and don't want to do things that they used to enjoy. Other symptoms are trouble:  

• sleeping or eating 
• losing or gaining weight
• feeling very tired or low in energy 

Depression can also make people feel like they're not good enough or that nobody cares about them, and they may:  

• have trouble connecting with their friends and family
• have thoughts about harming themselves or suicide 

⭐ Remember: Depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles are not anyone’s fault, and it’s very important (and okay!) to ask for help if you’re feeling this way. Anxiety and depression can both be treated by professionals, and help is available. 

 

2. 👥 What is therapy? 

There are many ways to take care of your mental health and feel better, and talking to someone you trust is a great place to start. If you think you may be experiencing a mental health problem, it’s important to share those feelings with a trusted family member, friend, teacher, or someone else you feel safe with. Check out our article “Safe Adults: Who They Are and How to Identify Them.” 

You can also talk to a therapist, which is like a doctor for your mental health.  

• A therapist is professionally trained to understand problems you may be dealing with, and to help you with them. 
• When you visit with a therapist, this is called “therapy.”  

At your first meeting with a therapist:  

• they will talk to you and a parent or guardian
• you have the option to go with a parent or trusted person if it makes you feel more comfortable
• they will ask you questions and listen in order to understand how you are feeling, what your experiences are, and how to help make you feel better
• anything you share with a therapist is confidential, which means it will stay private between you and your therapist. 

If you would like to find someone to help you with your mental health, you can reach out to your local mental health center or contact your school counselor or nurse. We can also connect you to therapists who specialize in working with children and speak your language – reach out to us!  

 

 

3. 💆🏾 What can I do to help my mental health? 

Seeing a therapist is a great way to get professional help with your mental health. However, there are other things that YOU can do on your own! Some of these tips can help you feel calmer during moments of anxiety or fear, and other tips are good habits to help your mental health overall.  

⭐ Remember: everyone’s mental health experience is unique, and some of these tips may be helpful to your specific situation, and some of them may not be. That’s okay—finding what works best for you is part of your mental health journey, and it's important to be patient and kind to yourself along the way. 

• Breathing exercises 😤: Any time you feel anxious, scared, or overwhelmed, try focusing on your breathing. Taking slow, deep breaths is a signal to our body and brain that you are safe.
  • Tip! Pretend that you are smelling a warm, delicious cup of tea (or another hot drink that you like). Take a deep breath through your nose, and then gently blow out all of your air to cool the imaginary tea off. Keep inhaling deeply through your nose (smelling the tea) and exhaling long and slow out of your mouth (blowing on the tea to cool it off) until you feel calm.  
• Physical exercise 🏃🏾‍♀️: Exercise releases feel-good chemicals in the brain. You can try going for a walk, playing a sport, or dancing to your favorite music. 
• Mindfulness 🧘🏾‍♂️: Focus on the present moment by paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Try a guided meditation (there are many free videos on YouTube or free apps for your phone—we’ve shared some of our favorites in the next section) or simply close your eyes and focus on your breath. 
• Sleep 🛌🏾: When we don't get enough sleep, our brains can feel tired and foggy, which can make it harder to concentrate and feel good. Getting enough sleep helps our brains learn, make decisions, manage stress and anxiety, and regulate our emotions.
• Eat healthy 🥗: Eating healthy foods provides our brains with the nutrients they need to function properly. Foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats can make us feel sluggish and moody, while foods that are high in protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can give us the energy and focus we need to feel our best.
• Talk to someone 🗣️: Share your feelings with a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or counselor. Sometimes just talking about your feelings can help you feel better.
• Write it down ✍🏾: It can be helpful to write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. You can write in a notebook, on your phone, or using a computer. Challenge yourself to write every day, even if it’s just a few sentences. 
  • Tip: Journaling about gratitude is a great technique when you’re feeling overwhelmed with negative emotions or thoughts. Try writing down three things every day that you are grateful for, no matter how small or how big they are.
• Do something you enjoy 😃: Doing something you enjoy, such as drawing, reading, or playing music, can be a good distraction from negative thoughts and feelings. 

 

4. 🔍️ Where can I find mental health resources? 

There may be helpful mental health resources—like support groups, yoga and meditation, counseling, etc.—available to you in your community. Try asking your school counselor or any community centers/groups that you might be a part of.  

You can always send us a message, and we will be happy to help connect you to affordable mental health resources in your area. 

There are also many mental health and meditation apps for your phone that are available for free (or that have free trials) and can help you manage your stress and other emotions. The following apps are available for both iOS and Android devices: 

 

Smiling Mind:

• A mindfulness and meditation app.
• Created for young people (although adults enjoy it too!).
• Provides skills for a healthy mental health lifestyle.
• It’s fun, colorful, easy to use, and interactive
• The Smiling Mind app is only available in English, but they do offer meditations in Ngaanyatjarra, Kriol, Dari, Pitjantjara, and Arabic.
• It’s free! 

Headspace:

• A mindfulness and meditation app.
• Easy to use and has a huge library of content and meditations.
• Available in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese. 
• They offer a free trial period, and then several different price plan options. If you’re a student, you can get an extremely discounted plan!  

Calm

• A meditation and sleep app.
• Offers mindfulness activities, soothing music and sounds, and even stories to help you fall asleep. 
• They have a section for children.
• The app is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, and Japanese.
• It has a free trial period, and then they offer several different price plan options.  

Yoga with Adriene (English) / Yoga con Adriene en Espanol (Spanish) 

• Excellent YouTube yoga, meditation, and breathwork.
• Do at home, outside, or wherever you can find space. 
• You can search for something specific, like “yoga for sleep,” or “yoga when you’re feeling stressed”). 
• Great for any person at any level of yoga, even total beginners.
• Recommended: try her 30 Days of Yoga Series (English) / 30 Días de Yoga (Spanish). It’s a great introduction to yoga. 
• It’s free! 

Video/Audio: Meditación para Principiantes 

• A 12-minute YouTube video.
• Alternatively available on Spotify.
• If you like this meditation, the same group (called CuriosaMente) has a few other meditations on their Spotify channel.
• Only available in Spanish.
• It’s free! 

UCLA Mindful  

• Basic meditation app.
• A good introduction to meditation to get you started.
• The app is available in English and Spanish, and the meditations are available in 14 different languages. 
• It’s free! 

 

 

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Sources 

“Anxiety in Children: What’s Normal?” Retrieved from https://kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/mental-health-resources/anxiety/kids-anxiety-whats-normal 

“988 Lifeline,” Retrieved from https://988lifeline.org/ 

“988 Fact Sheet,” Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/988-fact-sheet.pdf 

“What Is Mental Health?” Retrieved from https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/what-is-mental-health/ 

“Introducción a las Habilidades de Autoayuda” Retrieved from https://ucresourcecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Introduccion-a-las-Habilidades-de-Autoayuda.pdf 

“Helping Children Cope” Retrieved from the IRC.