Mental Health
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
Helpful Links
Agencies
- Department of Mental Health, Massachusetts
- MentalHealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services)
Support
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) | or Chat
- Samaritans Suicide hotline (877) 870- 4673 (HOPE) | Text or Chat
Articles
Resources
- Calm- an app to help young people learn to use meditation and mindfulness to reduce their stress and anxiety and even sleep better. Get access to Calm Premium for free! Canton residents aged 11-18 with a library card can now check out a 2-month subscription to the premium version of the Calm app. Teens and tweens should fill out this form, and we will email them instructions on accessing the app through the library. Once all our licenses are being used, there will be a waitlist, and we'll let you know when it's your turn. Visit us at the library if you don't have a card!
These programs are made possible by federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. - Parent guides to cyberbullying, social networking, texting, sexting, bullying