Mental Health Continuum Self-Reflection Exercise
Instructions: Use the Mental Health Continuum Model to respond to realistic situations by reading the scenario and answering the questions that follow.
T
his activity was designed to help you self-reflect on your own mental health and wellness at this particular moment in time. As mental health is not a static state, you may repeat this exercise as often as you wish. As you learned in the course, the state of one’s health can move back and forth on the Continuum. Many people have physical and mental health concerns that, when identified and treated early, can be temporary and reversible. Even when experiencing a mental health issue or illness, it is possible to return to your healthy state.
Note: This is not a self-diagnostic tool but rather a way to build your self-awareness around your mental health.
*Before you begin, print this page by clicking on this link to get the pdf.
| Healthy | Reacting | Injured | Ill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changes in Mood |
Normal mood fluctuations Calm Confident |
Irritable Impatient Nervous Sadness |
Angry Anxious Pervasive sadness |
Easily enraged Excessive anxiety/panic Depressed mood, numb |
| Changes in Thinking and Attitude |
Good sense of humor Takes things in stride Ability to concentrate and focus on tasks |
Displaced sarcasm Intrusive thoughts Sometimes distracted or loss of focus on tasks |
Negative attitude Recurrent intrusive thoughts Constantly distracted or cannot focus on tasks |
Noncompliant Suicidal thoughts/intent Inability to concentrate, loss of memory or cognitive abilities |
| Changes in Behaviour and Performance |
Physically and socially active Present Performing well |
Decreased activity/socializing Present but distracted Procrastination |
Avoidance Tardiness Decreased performance |
Withdrawal Absenteeism Can’t perform duties/tasks |
| Physical Changes |
Normal sleep patterns Good appetite Feeling energetic Maintaining a stable weight |
Trouble sleeping Changes in eating patterns Some lack of energy Some weight gain or loss |
Restless sleep Loss of appetite Some tiredness or fatigue Fluctuations or changes in weight |
Cannot fall/stay asleep No appetite Constant and prolonged fatigue or exhaustion Extreme weight gain or loss |
| Changes in Addictive Behaviours |
Limited alcohol consumption, no binge drinking Limited/no addictive behaviours No trouble/impact due to substance use |
Regular to frequent alcohol consumption, limited binge drinking Some to regular addictive behaviours Limited to some trouble/impact due to substance use |
Frequent alcohol consumption, binge drinking Struggle to control addictive behaviours Increasing trouble/impact due to substance use |
Regular to frequent binge drinking Addiction Significant trouble/impact due to substance use |
