Activity 1: The Mental Health Continuum
Sanjit is in year 7 at school. He has settled well into senior school and, after feeling overwhelmed for the first two weeks, is now enjoying the independence of catching the bus to school. He works hard in his lessons but plays hard too. He enjoys sports, social evenings with his friends, and playing computer games. When he first started senior school, he neglected his homework, tended to eat too much junk food, drink too many energy drinks, and sleep too little. However, experience showed him that this made him less motivated and more anxious than usual, so he was helped to make some small changes to his diet and lifestyle so that it did not interfere too much with his schoolwork. Emily lives with her mum and has two younger siblings. When her first sibling arrived, Emily was very happy and enjoyed helping to care for her baby brother. When her second baby brother arrived less than a year later, Emily’s mum was diagnosed with postnatal depression. Recently Emily’s dad left, telling Emily that he didn’t want to live with them anymore and that Emily’s mum was impossible to live with. Emily was distraught and started self- harming. Her GP referred her to CAMHS, and she was diagnosed with depression. Emily is having trouble concentrating at school and often isolates herself from her friends and family. She feels helpless and is struggling to manage looking after her mum and all the responsibility of the home. Emily’s grandparents have tried to help, but she becomes tearful and moody because she thinks they are criticising her. Her self- esteem is very low, and she is afraid to go back to the doctors to tell them that the therapy she is having doesn’t seem to be working. Emily’s worst fear is that the social workers will take her and her siblings into care. Recently she has started to believe that everyone might be better off without her and imagining what it would be like to simply stop living.
Jack was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder two years ago. At first, he struggled with the diagnosis and felt angry with everyone. He would often stop taking his medication and going to his therapist because he felt weak and hated the thought that he might be like this for life. As he has come to terms with his diagnosis, experience has shown Jack that he can work effectively with his psychiatrist and therapist to manage his mental health and make the best use of support when he needs it. At the moment he is very well and enjoys the challenge of his schoolwork and being part of a local football team. He has created a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) so he can help himself and so that those close to him know what to do if he is unwell again. Jack’s family and friends love his quirky humour and his creativity. He has come to realise that his experience of an anxiety disorder makes him unique and gives him a view of the world that other people may not have. It has also given him a great deal of empathy with others who are struggling with difficult life events. Marisha has always thought of herself as an easy-going person who is easy to get along with. She has lots of friends at school and a good relationship with her teachers. She used to straighten her hair, but, a few months ago, began wearing her hair naturally to school. Since wearing her natural hair to school, several of her friends have asked her why her hair is so big and always frizzy. She feels self- conscious and wishes her friends wouldn’t talk about her. When Marisha told one of her teachers that her friends’ comments were making her feel bad, the teacher told her that they were just curious because Marisha ‘was so pretty before’. She says that if her hair is bothering her then perhaps Marisha should try and tie it back for school. Marisha is becoming increasingly unhappy at school. She feels like the way she looks is stopping her from fitting in and is anxious that there will be further comments. On Sunday evenings, she feels depressed at the thought of the week ahead.
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