Wellness

Mental health is important to all of us, and fundamental to student mental health and well-being. Schools are ideal settings for mental health promotion, addiction awareness education, resiliency development, and connecting those in need to care pathways. 

Mental Health Resources

Access resources and information for student mental health and well-being on the YRDSB website

 

Difficult Times

We all have times in our lives when things aren’t going the way we’d like. Learn more about some of the common struggles we can all face.

The physical side of an injury is extremely important, but for some players, the impact on their mental well being can be the most difficult to manage. It’s often the mental stuff that comes with injury which is the toughest to deal with. Feelings of disappointment, failure, anger, fear, uncertainty, boredom and letting others down are all common amongst players who have an injury. 

Common experiences for players dealing with an injury are:

  • Lack of motivation

  • Changes in sleep

  • Anger & frustration

  • Isolation & loneliness

  • Sadness or depression

  • Worry & anxiety

 

Strategies:

  • Setting Short-Term Goals. Just the same as setting goals for fitness or training, setting recovery goals that are realistic and achievable will help you to acknowledge your progress as you recover.
  • Use the Opportunity. Use the ‘bonus’ time you have to focus on building a stronger you, both physically and mentally. You could focus on nutrition, careers outside of sport, learning a new skill or studying.
  • Stay Involved. Staying involved with your team and teammates can be a big help with how you feel during your recovery. This could mean attending trainings and meetings and helping out.
  • Take Some Time. Being around the team can be great but it can be just as important to have some time away doing things you enjoy. Spend some time thinking about the right balance for you and your recovery. Taking a mental break from rehab is really important.
  • Spend Time With Positive Supports. This could be teammates, family, or trusted friends. Let them know how you’re feeling and plan some catch-ups or fun activities.
  • Journal and Visualize. Writing down how you’re feeling each day and visualizing yourself back training and playing can be a powerful aspect of recovery and keep you focused on the end goal.  

 

 

We all talk about stress, but we’re not always clear about what it is. Stress comes from both the good and the bad things that happen to us. If we didn’t feel any stress, we wouldn’t be alive! Stress may feel overwhelming at times, but there are many strategies to help you take control.

Positive Stress

Some stress can be a good thing. It can motivate us to focus on a task or take action and solve a problem. In this situation, stress is manageable and even helpful.

Negative Stress

Stress is a reaction to a situation—it isn’t about the actual situation. We usually feel stressed when we think that the demands of the situation are greater than our resources to deal with that situation.


Strategies:

  • Know your triggers. The reasons why you feel stressed can be very different to your friends. It might be speaking in public situations, stressing about academics or worrying about your athletic performances. Knowing what makes you feel stressed can help you target where you need support.
  • Manage your time. Getting caught with too many jobs to do and not enough time can be very stressful. Try focusing on one job at a time. Manage your week by using a calendar or diary and prioritise the things that are most important.
  • Slow it down. Although it can sometimes seem impossible to control the way you’re feeling, there are some strategies you can use to calm your body’s response to stress. Yoga, deep breathing exercises, visualization and meditation are all great ways to slow things down and reduce feelings of stress.
  • Monitor your stress levels. Often we can feel ourselves starting to get run down, irritable and tired. If you feel yourself getting increasingly stressed, do something about it. This could mean taking a day off to rest, talking to a friend, caring adult, or parent.
  • Ask for help. Stress is a common experience for a lot of people. If you don’t feel like you can cope with your stress on your own, or you feel like some support would be helpful, ask someone you trust.
  • Get active. Physical activity can be a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood. Activity could be anything from taking up a new sport to walking. The most important part is that it gets you moving and you enjoy it!

Strategies:

  • Get good sleep.
  • Start a conversation.
  • Avoid alcohol and drugs.
  • Spend time with supports.
  • Plan for triggers.
  • Eat and drink healthy.
  • Take some time out.
  • Consider speaking to an expert.
  • Look after your physical health.
  • Avoid high-risk environments.
  • Use journaling
  • Practice mindfulness.
  • Set short-term goals.
  • Stay involved.
  • Make a safety plan.
  • Understand it.
  • Manage your time.
  • Slow down and breathe.
  • Get outside into nature.
  • Spend time with family.
  • Connect with others.