Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Tips

To help your community, it's important to identify mental health challenges. Look for these signs of mental health challenges in children and adolescents:

1. Feeling sad for 2+ weeks;
2. harming themselves/talk about harming themselves;
3. feeling overwhelming fear, which sometimes leads to a high heart rate and fast breathing;
4. fighting or saying they want to hurt others;
5. cannot concentrate;
6. throwing up, not eating or doing other things to lose weight;
7. worrying & unable to do daily activities;
8. using drugs/alcohol;
9. having major mood swings;
10. become more clingy, cry, and have more tantrums than usual;
11. return to younger behaviors;
12. fear of separation;
13. unable to sleep.

Mental health challenges affect children of all ages in different ways. You can use these tips to support parents or caregivers who have seen any of the previously mentioned signs. Promote being kind & taking care of oneself with parents or caregivers. This promotes their own mental health and will help them take better care of their children.

Encourage parents to spend time individually with each child and talk to them. Make sure to listen to them carefully & acknowledge their feelings. Avoid saying things like "there is nothing to be worried about". Also encourage parents to create healthy routines with their children such as eating healthy foods together, exercising, keeping a regular bed time, and doing activties that they enjoy. Limit their screen time. Teenagers need space to express themselves and talk about how they feel. Share with parents that, if possible, create activities where they can connect with other teenagers.

Not only children and adolescents in your community may be experiencing mental health challenges, but adult community members may be as well. They can have worrying thoughts, feel tense, have a higher heart rate and fast breathing. Adults may also abuse substances such as alcohol, tobacco products, or drugs.

The following section lists tips on mental health promotion that, as a health worker, you can share with people in your community who may be facing mental health challenges.

Slow breathing helps our mind & body- put one hand on the stomach & one on the chest. Breathe in for 1,2,3 and breath out for 1,2,3. Do this for 5 minutes.

Help build people's confidence by encouraging them to use assertive communication and stand up for what they want while keeping positive relationships with others.

Part of being assertive is being able to say no. Help people to practice saying no in situations where they feel unsafe or are uncomfortable.

You can share these ways of saying no:

1. Say no directly and firmly,
2. ignore the question and walk away,
3. stick with a friend who they know also wants to say no.

Remind the community members they can always ask for help, which is a sign of strength, shows self‑awareness and courage to overcome something difficult. When talking with a community member, if you feel they or their child might need help, talk with a counselor or call your local emergency hotline, if available.