Quickening breaths, feeling overwhelmed and a sense that everything will go sidways—these are common symptoms of anxiety that Vivian Tan, in Grade 9 at Palmer secondary, is familiar with.
She’s a keen student who’s involved in clubs, sports teams and is passionate about the protecting the environment. But sometimes the tasks on her plate feel formidable.
“Sometimes, for me, anxiety can make me feel like it’s the end of the world, even though it’s not. Those instincts kick in, and I start hyperventilating,” she said.
Last month, she was one of several teens who joined a student-run mental health workshop called Fresh Start.
High schoolers on the Richmond Student District Council Organization pulled together two workshops in April at the Thompson Community Centre. They brought in bubble tea and therapy dogs to get conversations flowing, and invited Jack.org speakers to talk about self-care and stress management.
Jack.org is a mental health advocacy organization started by the father of a university student who died by suicide.
On April 24, Tan learned mindfulness exercises to come back into her body when thoughts begin to race. Techniques like “square breathing” can help, when you inhale, exhale, and hold your breath in an even rhythm
“I’m feeling anxious, but I can do this as long as I can calm down,” Tan said. “I take the biggest task and work my way though. I’ll still be alive.”
The workshop also discussed how students can take care of themselves in order to combat stress. They took turns writing things that make them happy on sticky notes and posting them together on a board.
“We recognize the importance of self-care and positive mental health and we really want more discussion about it. No one stands alone and together we are better,” said organizer Joey Huang, RSDCO chair.
The presenters shared some information with students that Tan said was “shocking.” In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. But only 20 per cent of teens who need help receive it.
Tan sees how that could be a case, sharing that she thinks there can be stigma associated with seeing a school counsellor.
She enjoyed the student-organized mental health event, and hopes that more education about what to do about mental health problems will be incorporated into classroom education.
