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True or False
Questions About
Mental Health
Mark T (True) or F (False) to the left of each of these statements,
then check your answers below!
1) Everyone has mental health.
2) Everyone has a mental illness.
3) If someone in your family has a mental illness, you will also be diagnosed with a
mental illness.
4) You can catch a mental illness from someone who has it, it is contagious.
5) If you’re feeling sad one day, you are depressed.
6) You have control over whether you are in a positive or negative mental health
space.
7) If you have a mental illness, you have it for life.
8) Having a mental illness means you are weak.
9) You should not talk about your mental illness.
10) Exercise can boost your mental health.
11) Video games cause mental illness.
12) If you see someone having a hard day, you should leave them alone and give
them space.
13) People with a mental illness live in a hospital.
14) What you eat does not affect how you feel.
15) You can tell if someone has a mental illness.
16) Kids don’t have panic attacks - they just yell or cry to get what they want.
17) You cannot help someone with a mental illness.
18) Sleep is important for mental health.
19) If you have a mental illness you will feel mad, sad or worried all the time.
20) Kids can’t have a mental illness like depression, those are adults’ illnesses.
21) Kids that have a mental illness have bad parents.
22) You should stay away from someone with a mental illness.
23) Medication for mental illness is bad.
24) You should reach out for help if you feel sad or worried.
25) You can be a Stigma-Free Superhero.
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Answers
1) True. Your mental health can change day to day, hour to hour, minute to
minute, but everyone has mental health.
2) False. A diagnosis of mental illness will come from a Psychiatrist, Psychologist
or your family doctor.
3) False. Although some illnesses seem to have a genetic link, just because
someone in your family has a mental illness does not mean that you will have
one, too. Everybody has their own genetic makeup and you are an individual.
4) False. Mental illness is not at all contagious.
5) False. If you’re sad one day you are having a poor mental health day and you
can do things to cheer yourself up like exercising, getting outside and doing
something you love to do. One day of feeling sad does not mean you are
depressed.
6) True and False. There are many things you can do to make yourself feel
better when you’re feeling out of sorts and a little blue. Exercise, nutrition,
hydration and doing something you love are some ways for you to boost your
mental health for the day. However, if you have a mental illness like depression
sometimes your mental health space is out of your control. If this is the case, all
you can do is do your best to take care of yourself.
7) False. Some mental illnesses will need to be managed throughout your life,
but some illnesses are treatable and you are able to conquer them.
8) False. So very false! If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, we
believe you are a warrior. You will need to learn how to manage and treat your
illness but having a mental illness does not mean you’re weak at all - in fact, we
think you are very, very strong.
9) False. The more you talk about what you go through and your experience with
your mental illness, the more educated others around you are. You don’t have to
talk about it if you don’t, but if you want to let people know what you go through,
speak up and share your experiences.
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Answers
10) True. Exercise releases a bunch of “feel-good” chemicals in our body that
help us fight against sad days or days when our mental health seems not-so-
positive.
11) False. Video games do not cause mental illness, but too much screen time
can have a negative impact on your mental health - so try to limit the amount of
time you spend on your screens.
12) False. The best thing you can do is ask how they are feeling and if they are
okay. If they say they just need space, give them space. But sometimes just
having a friend check on them is all they need to help them feel a little better.
13) False. In fact, most people with a diagnosed mental illness do not live in a
hospital. They live at home, go to school, play on a sports team and do all the
things those without a mental illness do.
14) False. Proper nutrition is incredibly important for mental health. If you eat
well, you help get proper nutrients to your brain and that helps you get into a
positive state of mental health.
15) False. Mental illnesses are not visible illnesses, you cannot “see” them. In
fact, many famous people you know have diagnosed mental illnesses including
Dwayne Johnson, Beyonce, Ryan Reynolds and Adele.
16) False. When someone experiences a panic attack they have very little control
over how their body responds and are unable to think clearly. In their mind, they
are literally fighting for their life and cannot rationalize their behaviour.
17) False. You can help a whole lot by being a good friend and supporting them
as best you can. If you have a friend with a mental illness, ask how to best
support them and let them know you’re there for them.
18) True. Kids aged 7-12 need about 11 hours of sleep per night and teens need
8-9 hours of sleep per night for brain development, rest and positive mental
health.
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Answers
19) False. People diagnosed with a mental illness may not have to battle their
illness every day. Often, if they take care of their mental health, their mental
illness will not affect their day at all. Some days their illness takes over and they’ll
need to battle. Just like someone without a mental illness, every day is different.
20) False. Children can experience mental illnesses. In fact, many mental
illnesses appear when children are young.
21) False. Mental illnesses are very complicated and arise from a combination
of genetics, biology, life experiences and environment. However, parents will play
an incredible role in recovery and support for their child.
22) False. You most likely go to school with someone who has a mental illness
and you don’t even know it. People who live with a mental illness are just like you
- they have friends, they participate in things they like to do. If you have a friend
with a mental illness, try your best to support them.
23) False. Many mental illnesses require medication to help with recovery. Just
like you take ibuprofen for a cold or flu, medication prescribed by a doctor or
psychiatrist can be used to help treat a mental illness.
24) True. If you find yourself feeling sad or worried, you should always reach out
to someone you trust. Whether you’re just having one hard day or if you’ve had
many hard days - your loved ones will want to know how you’re feeling and will
be able to help you. If they are unsure of where to go to get help, you can send
them to this link: https://stigmafreesociety.com/help-and-resources/
25) True! By learning more about mental health and mental illness you are well
on your way to being a Stigma-Free Superhero! Please continue to be open to
learning more about mental health and mental illness and find out how you can
support yourself and those around you.
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