What can lead to anxiety or depression?
Young newcomers experience lots of mental health challenges. Many young newcomers experience anxiety or depression because of moving to a new place, adjusting to a new culture, facing language barriers and racial discrimination, which can all cause stress.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is when you start worrying about things more than usual. You can tell if you are anxious if:
- You are worrying about things you never used to worry about.
- You feel overwhelmed with your feelings.
- You are not sleeping well or you can’t sleep at all.
- You are eating too much or too little.
- You start becoming obsessive about some things, like washing your hands all the time.
- You start to panic in certain situations, or have a panic attack.
What are panic attacks?
Panic attacks are a major symptom of anxiety. Panic attacks can be really scary. Here are some signs that you're having a panic attack:
- Trouble breathing
- Hyperventilating
- Chest pain
- Racing heart
- Dizziness
What is depression?
Depression is not just a feeling of sadness. It affects your mind AND body. You might be depressed if:
- You feel negatively about the world, and about yourself.
- You are having troubling dealing with sad about things that have happened to you, or you think about them a lot without feeling better about life.
- You feel tired all the time.
- You can’t sleep, or you sleep too much (can’t get out of bed).
- You start eating more or less than you usually do.
- You start feeling pain in your stomach or other parts of your body.
When should I get help?
If you feel anxious or depressed consistently for more than 2 weeks than you should get help as soon as possible. Speak to an adult your trust, like a parent, a teacher, or your family doctor.