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.
Some risk factors for anxiety and depression include:
- Family genetics
- Facing challenging life events (e.g., being bullied, experiencing the loss of a loved one, having health issues, etc.)
- Experiencing something traumatic during childhood, like sexual assault
- Financial difficulties
What is anxiety?
Anxiety occurs when you feel so much tension, fear, or worry that it gets in the way of your day-to-day activities.
You may be feeling 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.
Panic attacks are a major symptom of anxiety and can be really scary to experience. Here are some signs that you're having a panic attack:
- Trouble breathing
- Hyperventilating
- Chest pain
- Racing heart
- Dizziness
What is depression?
Depression occurs when you feel of hopelessness or worthlessness, and those feelings last for at least a couple of week
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.
How do I get help for anxiety or depression?
If you feel anxious or depressed consistently for more than 2 weeks then you should get help as soon as possible. Speak to an adult your trust, like a parent, a teacher, or your family doctor.
You may also want to try these resources: