| (a) |
Reflect on and discuss personal and community beliefs and biases about mental health. |
| (b) |
Examine common misconceptions and negative stigmas/ connotations related to both the area of and the language of mental illness (e.g., misconception that an individual with a mental illness has a weak character or is inevitably dangerous). |
| (c) |
Consider ways to reduce stigma, address discrimination, and eliminate structural barriers related to mental illness. |
| (d) |
Describe, with information from a variety of mental health experts, the factors that contribute to positive mental health (e.g., involvement in extracurricular activities, belonging to a team/group). |
| (e) |
Discuss prior understandings of how thoughts, actions, and behaviours are all connected to brain function. |
| (f) |
Recognize that there is no single cause of any mental health problem or illness and no one is immune regardless of where they live, how young or old they are, or their social standing. |
| (g) |
Examine evolving theories about the complex causes of mental illnesses (i.e., social, economic, psychological, biological, and genetic factors). |
| (h) |
Assess the influence of mental well-being on each of the dimensions of wellness (i.e., psychological, physical, social and environmental). |
| (i) |
Investigate various personal, environmental, biological, and social influences (e.g., sports competitions, use of cannabis, support networks) on mental health and determine one's relationship to these influences. |
| (j) |
Determine why particular mental illnesses (e.g., anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar mood disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia) are common in adolescence. |
| (k) |
Investigate the relationships between personal mental health and personal wellness (e.g., feeling well, functioning well and being resilient, making positive changes, being physically fit). |
| (l) |
Examine the relationships among defense mechanisms, feelings, behaviours, and mental health (i.e., ways we protect ourselves from things we do not want to think about or deal with). |
| (m) |
Examine the interconnectedness and interdependence of mental health and a variety of activities (e.g., leisure activities, competitive sports, physical activities, helping someone or some cause). |
| (n) |
Analyze mental fitness factors (e.g., placing things in perspective, using stress management strategies, cultivating and maintaining a strong sense of humour) as they relate to personal well-being. |
| (o) |
Evaluate, revise, and continue to implement a Personal Plan for Wellness based on new understandings about mental health. |
