Mental wellness comes from feeling balanced, connected to others and ready to meet life’s challenges (PHSA). Mental wellness is affected by our life experiences and daily activities. 

For wellbeing, mental health, and substance use supports across B.C., please visit Wellbeing.gov.bc.ca, managed by the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

You can also improve your mental wellness by practicing mindfulness, staying connected to others, and cultivating a healthy mind. Doing so can help you build resilience and prepare you for the challenges that life throws your way. 

A state of mindfulness - attentiveness to and awareness of sensations, thoughts, and feelings - enhances wellbeing. You can practice mindfulness by paying attention to your breathing, as well as your surroundings. Allow yourself the time to pause and savour the moment.
•    Belly-Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
•    Breathr App
•    Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
•    Notice: Savour the Moment
 

Strong connections, whether personal or professional, can support and enrich your life. Learn more about building and strengthening connections in your daily life. 
•    Connect: Build Positive Relationships
•    Five Ways to Well-being
•    Mental Health & Well-Being
•    Social Connections
 

Committing to life-long learning is one way you can maintain a healthy brain. Learning also improves self-esteem, helps keep you active and builds social connections. 

•    An Active and Healthy Brain
•    Keep Learning: Open Your Mind
•    Keeping an active and healthy mind
•    Mental and Emotional Benefits of Activity
•    Mental Health
•    Mind-Body Wellness 
•    Provincial Health Services Authority : Mental Wellness
 

Mental Wellness Supports for Every Age and Stage

Mental wellness needs may change as you go through different ages or stages in life. Below are some resources that may support these transitions.  

Prenatal/Infant
Pregnancy and the post-partum period can be very exciting and joyous, but these changes can also cause anxiety, stress, or in some cases depression. Hormonal changes, lack of sleep, and physical recovery from labour all impact your mental wellness. It is normal to experience emotional ups and downs. 
Infants also have mental health needs related to bonding and healthy attachment.

For more information on how to support yourself or a loved one during this period, see

• After Labour and Care for New Moms
• Baby's Best Chance
• BC Children’s Hospital: Infant mental health 
• BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre Reproductive Mental Health
• Emotional Changes During Pregnancy

Child/Youth/Young Adult
For young people, mental wellness is affected by many factors including mood, sleep habits, coping skills and relationships with family, friends and others. While discovering self-identity and independence, they may also be experiencing stressful and difficult scenarios for the first time. 
For children and youth-oriented mental wellness resources, see
•    Anxiety Canada: Anxiety in Children
•    Anxiety Canada: Anxiety in Youth
•    BounceBack (ages 15+) 
•    Foundry (ages 12-24)
•    Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
•    Kids Help Phone

Websites for Children, Teens and their Families 

BC Children's Hospital - Mental Health Services 
Mental Health Services at BC Children's Hospital provides psychiatric assessment, short-term individual, family and group treatment and medication review. 

Foundrybc.ca 
Foundrybc.ca offers health and wellness resources, services and supports for young people ages 12-24 across BC. 

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre 
The Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre is a provincial resource centre that provides mental health and substance use information, resources and peer support to children, youth and their families from across B.C. Contact the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre toll-free anywhere in B.C. by phone (1-800-665-1822), email (keltycentre@cw.bc.ca), or in person at BC Children’s Hospital.   

Kids Help Phone 
Kids Help Phone is a toll-free, 24-hour, phone counselling, web counselling, and referral service for children and youth. The service is completely anonymous and confidential. To speak to a counsellor, call 1-800-668-6868. 

Tools and Apps 

MonSTRESSity 
MonSTRESSity is an interactive online game to help you cope in different situations where you might experience anxiety. 

Worry Rockets 
Worry Rockets is an online game to help "launch" your worries away. 

First Nations Wellness

The First Nations Health Authority (FHNA) works towards the health and wellness of all First Nations in BC through its unique approach to wellness and its support of community wellness activities.  
For more information on wellness resources for First Nations persons, see First Nations Health Authority: Wellness

Healthy Eating 
Every day, we make choices about the food we eat and our lifestyles. We can make choices for ourselves and our families that make a real difference in our ability to remain healthy and active and enjoy life to its fullest. Healthy eating promotes and supports social, physical, and mental wellbeing for everyone, at all ages and stages of life. For more information, see Healthy Eating.

Physical Activity
Whether you want to try your first yoga class, or you are a marathon runner, physical activity can play an important role in your health and wellness. Learn more about physical activity and what you can do to maximize your healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Living
Some stress is normal and even useful. Stress can help if you need to work hard or react quickly. But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can cause health problems.

Anxiety
Experiencing mild to moderate anxiety is common. However, if you experience severe anxiety you may have feelings of helplessness, confusion, or extreme worry that are out of proportion with the seriousness or cause of your worry. Learn more about the symptoms of anxiety, home treatment advice and what you can do to help prevent anxiety attacks:
•    Anxiety 
•    Anxiety: Stop Negative Thoughts 
•    Helping Someone During a Panic Attack 

Sleep
Sleep is important for your physical and emotional health. Sleep can help you stay healthy by keeping your immune system strong. Getting enough sleep can help your mood and make you feel less stressed. For more information on sleeping better, see:
•    Safe Sleeping for Babies HealthLinkBC File #107
•    Sleep: Helping Your Children—and Yourself—Sleep Well 
•    Sleeping Better
•    Time for Bed HealthLinkBC File #92e

Stress
Stress is a normal response to dealing with changes and challenges in daily life. In the short term, stress can help you perform better under pressure, but constant stress can pose problems for your health. For ways to reduce or manage the stress in your life, see:
•    Healthy Lifestyle Actions to Reduce and Manage Stress
•    Stress Management

Caregiver Support
Caregivers can be professionals, family, friends, or community supports. People who provide care for others can feel emotionally, physically, and mentally drained. 

Family Caregivers of BC (FCBC) is a provincial, not-for-profit registered charity funded by Ministry of Health. For access to information, education and supports that enable caregivers to feel more confident and successful in their important role, see: Family Caregivers of British Columbia

Care for Caregivers provides mental health support for professional continuing care providers. For healthcare worker resources, see: Care for Caregivers: Healthcare Worker Resources

Last Updated: June 2021