Your mental health and well-being

Your mental health is important. Learn about some common symptoms of emotional struggles, activities that can contribute to positive mental health, and where you can get help as a newcomer.

Transcript: Your mental health and well-being

Video Length: 3:27 minutes

Photorealistic Animated video

Thoughtful, inspirational slow music plays. A number of people holding Canadian flags are shown, displayed in silhouette against an orange sunset.

Text displays: Welcome

narrator: Welcome to Canada.

An airport hallway is shown. A senior couple with luggage look down the hallway, and a mother and child are looking out the window at an airplane connected to a jetway (walkway).

narrator: Your journey may have been both exciting … and challenging.

A series of images is shown: traffic signs that say walk on left facing traffic in English and French; a woman inspecting a package in the produce aisle of a grocery store; a health-care worker taking the temperature of a young child who is being held by her mother; a 4-way split of images showing a street scene in winter, people taking photos of apple trees in blossom, a father and son holding hands while walking down a hiking trail, and a hand holding yellow fall leaves; this transitions to a child playing in the snow with his father.

narrator: From language to food to health care to the constantly changing Canadian seasons, there may be a lot that is brand new or different for you and your family.

A collage of people looking thoughtful and concerned is shown.

narrator: With all this change, it is very common for newcomers to worry about a lot of things, especially in their first year in Canada.

An apartment building and a street with row housing is shown.

Text displays: Where will I live?

narrator: Where will I live?

A man reading some documents with his free hand on his forehead is shown.

Text displays: How will I learn English or French?

narrator: How will I learn to speak English or French?

A collage of people is shown: a woman and a man talking in an office with a laptop in front of them; a woman in a hijab wearing an apron, hearing and eye protection operating a metal grinder; and a woman working in a commercial kitchen.

Text displays: Where can I find a job?

narrator: Where can I find a good job?

A collage of images is shown: a young child with a serious expression looking out of a window and a boy and girl playing in a park.

Text displays: How will my family adapt?

narrator: How will my spouse or children adapt?

A tired woman sitting on the floor with her head in her arms resting on a bed is shown.

Text displays in succession:
Hard to sleep
Hard to think clearly
Hard to make decisions

narrator: You might feel very tired yet find it hard to sleep … to think clearly … to make decisions.

A collage of 2 images is shown: A man with his head in his hands sitting in a stairwell and a woman with her arms wrapped around her knees sitting on a bed.

Text displays in succession:
Body aches
Stomach pains
Lonely
Frustrated
Hopeless

narrator: Your physical health might suffer, such as feeling body aches or having stomach pains. You may also feel sad and lonely, or angry and frustrated, or scared and hopeless.

An older man with a serious expression looking into a mirror is shown.

narrator: All of these things can make it hard for you for you to enjoy life.

Two younger women hugging each other are shown.

narrator: But it’s important to remember that you are not alone.

We see a younger woman peering through the gap in a window blind and another young woman seated at a window, looking out.

narrator: It is very common to struggle emotionally from time to time, especially when there is a lot of change or stress in your life.

A city skyline is shown with people in the foreground, as if from a lookout. Thought bubbles with a sad emoji in the bubble appear above about half of the people’s heads.

narrator: In fact, 1 out of 2 people living in Canada will experience poor mental health at some point in their life.

A middle-aged man with a neutral, thoughtful expression is shown.

Text displays: Mental health part of overall health

narrator: Mental health: how we think, feel, and behave, is just one part of our overall health.

A middle-aged woman is shown standing outside, looking directly at the viewer.

narrator: In Canada, we work hard to teach people about mental health …

A young woman is shown talking to a man and a woman.

narrator: that these kinds of difficulties are a normal part of life. This helps people understand what they’re going through.

A series of images is shown: a group of 4 smiling youths carrying books and backpacks walking down a path; 2 young women sitting outside beside each other, talking; a smiling group of young adults in a classroom.

Text displays: Stigma. A black line is then drawn through the word.

narrator: We also want to make sure people aren’t judged or treated differently by others if they’re struggling with their thoughts and feelings. This judgement is sometimes called stigma, and we want to get rid of it.

A series of images is shown: a middle-aged woman with an attentive expression, listening to a young male and female couple; a middle-aged man with a stethoscope around his neck, with his hand on an older man’s shoulder.

Text displays: Mental health services

narrator: That’s why Canada has a wide range of mental health services for people of all ages and with different types of challenges.

A collage of images is shown: a smiling family of 4 sitting on a picnic blanket in a park eating watermelon; and a family in a kitchen serving a meal.

Text displays: Eating well

narrator: There are also things you can do to improve your own mental health. Eating well, …

A collage of images is shown: a couple with a young child skating outside, a father and son playing soccer, a smiling young boy wearing a helmet, leaning on the handlebar of a scooter.

Text displays: Being active

narrator: being active by walking or biking or playing sports, …

A collage of images is shown: four smiling young adults seated at a skateboard park; a smiling young couple seated beside a skating rink looking at a smartphone.

Text displays: Making friends

narrator: making friends in your new community, …

A series of images is shown: 2 young women talking in a library, a young woman giving directions to another young woman; a smiling mother and daughter outside; an older man and a young boy launching a toy sailboat into the water; and a young woman hiking in the forest.

narrator: learning new things, helping others and being in nature are all things that can help how you feel and how you see things.

A series of images is shown: a smiling woman seated in front of a computer in a reception area; a female health-care professional talking to an older woman in an examination room; a number of paper lanterns rising in a sunset sky; 2 Chinese dragon costumes; 3 costumed Caribana dancers; a smiling Hindi dancer; 2 women wearing hijabs seated at a large dinner table with others enjoying a meal.

narrator: Settlement service providers, doctors and nurses you may visit, community groups and religious groups also offer other ways to help you feel better as you settle into your new life. These organizations understand what you may be going through.

A series of images is shown: a religious leader talking to a couple in a house of worship, and a smiling man in front of a group of students.

narrator: In fact, many of the people who work in settlement service organizations were once newcomers to Canada themselves—they can identify with your new reality.

Two women are shown talking to an older woman wearing a hijab.

narrator: You may find that it feels good to talk about what you are going through with others.

A series of images is shown: 2 young women talking, seated inside beside each other, and 2 young men talking, seated beside each other outside at a coffee shop.

narrator: You will almost certainly learn that lots of people are dealing with the same or similar thoughts, questions and problems.

A series of images is shown: 2 women seated at a table inside with a number of books in front of them, and a smiling young girl hugging her smiling father.

narrator: In Canada, we believe that looking after your mental health is as important to your overall wellbeing as taking care of your physical health.

A series of images are shown: a smiling young woman washing dishes in a commercial kitchen; a smiling young man wearing a turban sitting outside; a young woman wearing a hijab looking off-camera; a woman wearing a hijab standing on a city street; two mothers wearing hijabs with their smiling daughters; a smiling father with his wife and son behind him; and a smiling father and young son swimming in a pool.

Text Displays: You are not alone

narrator: Don’t feel nervous or ashamed about asking for help. You will not be judged. Know that you’re not alone. Reach out and talk to someone. Go for a walk outside. Get help when you need it … for your own good, and for the good of your family, too.

Text displays on a white background: To find a settlement service provider organization near you, visit www.canada.ca/newcomer-services.

narrator: To find a settlement service provider organization near you, visit this site: www.canada.ca/newcomer-services.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada corporate signature followed by the Canada wordmark are shown on a white background.

Fade to black.