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Lesson 3.4 of 4

Mental Health, Stress & Support

Who do I actually talk to when things get heavy?

Lesson slides

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  1. Slide 1: Mental health Stress and support
  2. Slide 2: MYTH BUSTING MYTH: "Asking for help means you're weak or crazy." FACT: Asking for help is a skill. It's also one of the most effective things you can do when you're struggling. …
  3. Slide 3: WHY THIS MATTERS 1 in 5 teens experience a mental health condition in any given year. Most go unaddressed because of stigma, lack of access, or not knowing where to turn. Mental…
  4. Slide 4: FEELINGS ARE NOT WEAKNESSES Teen stress is real stress, NOT an overreaction. Some common sources are academic pressure, social dynamics, family conflict, identity, the future, r…
  5. Slide 5: RECOGNIZING NORMAL STRESS WHEN YOU'RE VS. SOMETHING NOT OKAY THAT NEEDS ATTENTION: Normal: feeling anxious before a test, sadness after a breakup, stress during a busy period Wo…
  6. Slide 6: SHAME & STIGMA SHAME IS... "SOMETHING IS FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH ME." STIGMA IS.... "PEOPLE LIKE YOU SHOULDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS." BOTH ARE LIES. SHAME THRIVES IN SILENCE. THE MO…
  7. Slide 7: Some coping mechanisms: Physical movement (any kind! Walks count) Sleep hygiene: consistent schedule, limiting screens before bed Social connection: even low-effort (a text, sit…
  8. Slide 8: HOW TO ASK FOR HELP To a friend: "Hey, I've been going through something. Can we talk?" To a trusted adult: "I've been struggling lately and I think I need to talk to someone." …
  9. Slide 9: CRISIS RESOURCES If you're in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7, free, 💬 confidential) 🏥 Crisis Text Line: Text …
Read these slides as text
  1. Slide 1. Mental health Stress and support
  2. Slide 2. MYTH BUSTING MYTH: "Asking for help means you're weak or crazy." FACT: Asking for help is a skill. It's also one of the most effective things you can do when you're struggling. It takes more courage than staying silent.
  3. Slide 3. WHY THIS MATTERS 1 in 5 teens experience a mental health condition in any given year. Most go unaddressed because of stigma, lack of access, or not knowing where to turn. Mental health affects your physical health, your relationships, your academic performance, and your decision-making. It is not separate from the rest of your life; it is woven through all of it.
  4. Slide 4. FEELINGS ARE NOT WEAKNESSES Teen stress is real stress, NOT an overreaction. Some common sources are academic pressure, social dynamics, family conflict, identity, the future, relationships. Short-term stress is normal. Chronic stress, though, causes real harm: Disrupted sleep Weakened immune system Difficulty concentrating Increased risk of anxiety and depression Your stress is valid. The question is how to work with it.
  5. Slide 5. RECOGNIZING NORMAL STRESS WHEN YOU'RE VS. SOMETHING NOT OKAY THAT NEEDS ATTENTION: Normal: feeling anxious before a test, sadness after a breakup, stress during a busy period Worth addressing: Persistent low mood lasting two or more weeks Losing interest in things you used to enjoy Significant changes in sleep or appetite Pulling away from people who care about you Feeling hopeless about the future Thoughts of hurting yourself You don't have to be in crisis to ask for help.
  6. Slide 6. SHAME & STIGMA SHAME IS... "SOMETHING IS FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH ME." STIGMA IS.... "PEOPLE LIKE YOU SHOULDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS." BOTH ARE LIES. SHAME THRIVES IN SILENCE. THE MOST CONSISTENT FINDING IN MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH IS THAT TALKING TO SOMEONE (ANYONE!) HELPS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT FIGURED OUT BEFORE YOU REACH OUT. "I'M NOT DOING WELL AND I DON'T KNOW WHY" IS ENOUGH.
  7. Slide 7. Some coping mechanisms: Physical movement (any kind! Walks count) Sleep hygiene: consistent schedule, limiting screens before bed Social connection: even low-effort (a text, sitting with someone) Journaling: writing about feelings, not just events Limiting doomscrolling: intentional social media time Not useful long-term: Substances as emotional regulation Avoidance (skipping the thing doesn't shrink the anxiety around it) Staying busy as a way to not feel things COPING STRATEGIES THAT ACTUALLY WORK
  8. Slide 8. HOW TO ASK FOR HELP To a friend: "Hey, I've been going through something. Can we talk?" To a trusted adult: "I've been struggling lately and I think I need to talk to someone." To a counselor: "I'm not sure if this is serious, but something hasn't felt right and I want to talk about it." You don't need to have a diagnosis or a crisis to deserve support. You just need to say something.
  9. Slide 9. CRISIS RESOURCES If you're in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm: 🆘 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7, free, 💬 confidential) 🏥 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 Emergency: Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room For ongoing support: NAMI Teen & Young Adult Helpline: 1-800-950-6264 Teen Line (peer support): 1-800-852-8336 or text TEEN to 839863 trevorproject.org (LGBTQ+ youth) You matter. This is temporary. Help is real.

These slides were made by the TeenWell team for classroom use. Unlike the linked resources below, they are our own material.

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Lesson 4 of 4 in Healthy Relationships. TeenWell doesn't write health information. Every link above goes to the organization that does.