How can I improve my mental health?
There are many different things you can do to improve your mental health, including:

Staying positive. It's important to try to have a positive outlook; some ways to do that include:
Finding balance between positive and negative emotions. Staying positive doesn't mean that you never feel negative emotions, such as sadness or anger. You need to feel them so that you can move through difficult situations. They can help you to respond to a problem. But you don't want those emotions to take over. For example, it's not helpful to keep thinking about bad things that happened in the past or worry too much about the future.
Trying to hold on to the positive emotions when you have them
Taking a break from negative information. Know when to stop watching or reading the news. Use social media to reach out for support and feel connected to others but be careful. Don't fall for rumors, get into arguments, or negatively compare your life to others.
Practicing gratitude, which means being thankful for the good things in your life. It's helpful to do this every day, either by thinking about what you are grateful for or writing it down in a journal. These can be big things, such as the support you have from loved ones, or little things, such as enjoying a nice meal. It's important to allow yourself a moment to enjoy that you had the positive experience. Practicing gratitude can help you to see your life differently. For example, when you are stressed, you may not notice that there are also moments when you have some positive emotions. Gratitude can help you to recognize them.
Taking care of your physical health, since your physical and mental health are connected. Some ways to take care of your physical health include:
Being physically active. Exercise can reduce feelings of stress and depression and improve your mood.
Getting enough sleep. Sleep affects your mood. If you don't get a good sleep, you may become more easily annoyed and angry. Over the long term, a lack of quality sleep can make you more likely to become depressed. So it's important to make sure that you have a regular sleep schedule and get enough quality sleep every night.
Healthy eating. Good nutrition will help you feel better physically but could also improve your mood and decrease anxiety and stress. Also, not having enough of certain nutrients may contribute to some mental illnesses. For example, there may be a link between low levels of vitamin B12 and depression. Eating a well-balanced diet can help you to get enough of the nutrients you need.
-- edited

There are several types of diabetes. The most common forms include:

Type 2 diabetes: With this type, your body doesn’t make enough insulin and/or your body’s cells don’t respond normally to the insulin (insulin resistance). This is the most common type of diabetes. It mainly affects adults, but children can have it as well.
Prediabetes: This type is the stage before Type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be officially diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes: This type is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in your pancreas for unknown reasons. Up to 10% of people who have diabetes have Type 1. It’s usually diagnosed in children and young adults, but it can develop at any age.
Gestational diabetes: This type develops in some people during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after pregnancy. However, if you have gestational diabetes, you’re at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Other types of diabetes include:

Type 3c diabetes: This form of diabetes happens when your pancreas experiences damage (other than autoimmune damage), which affects its ability to produce insulin. Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis can all lead to pancreas damage that causes diabetes. Having your pancreas removed (pancreatectomy) also results in Type 3c.
Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA): Like Type 1 diabetes, LADA also results from an autoimmune reaction, but it develops much more slowly than Type 1. People diagnosed with LADA are usually over the age of 30.
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY): MODY, also called monogenic diabetes, happens due to an inherited genetic mutation that affects how your body makes and uses insulin. There are currently over 10 different types of MODY. It affects up to 5% of people with diabetes and commonly runs in families.
Neonatal diabetes: This is a rare form of diabetes that occurs within the first six months of life. It’s also a form of monogenic diabetes. About 50% of babies with neonatal diabetes have the lifelong form called permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus. For the other half, the condition disappears within a few months from onset, but it can come back later in life. This is called transient neonatal diabetes mellitus.
Brittle diabetes: Brittle diabetes is a form of Type 1 diabetes that’s marked by frequent and severe episodes of high and low blood sugar levels. This instability often leads to hospitalization. In rare cases, a pancreas transplant may be necessary to permanently treat brittle diabetes.

o be easily distracted,
o have difficulty following directions,
o frequently lose materials, and/or
o have difficulty organizing tasks and materials.


Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type.
The student may:
o Appear to be in constant motion,
o frequently fidget or move in his or her seat,
o become restless during quiet activities,
o leave his or her seat when expected to remain seated,
o interrupt others and classroom activities,
o talk excessively, and/or
o fail to follow classroom procedures (e.g., blurt out answers without raising hand).


Combined type.
The student may exhibit symptoms that include behaviors from both categories above.

In order for a student to be diagnosed with ADHD, symptoms must appear before age 12 and be exhibited across at least two settings. They must also have adverse effects on academic performance, occupational success, or social-emotional development (APA, 2013).

To add to the complexity of the diagnosis, children with ADHD are likely to have co-existing emotional, behavioral, developmental, learning, or physical conditions (Wolraich & DuPaul, 2010).

As a result of the behaviors listed above, students with ADHD are at greater risk of academic
difficulties, social/emotional issues, and limited educational outcomes.

The requirements and qualifications for IDEA are more stringent than those of Section 504. IDEA provides funds to state education agencies for the purpose of providing special education and related services to children evaluated in accordance with IDEA and found to have at least one of the 13 specific categories of disabilities, and who thus need special education and related services. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may be considered under the specific category of "Other Health Impairment" (OHI), if the disability results in limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment and that is due to chronic or acute health problems.

Section 504 was established to ensure a free appropriate education for all children who have an impairment-physical or mental-that substantially limits one or more major life activities. If it can be demonstrated that a child's ADHD adversely affects his or her learning-a major life activity in the life of a child-the student may qualify for services under Section 504. To be considered eligible for Section 504, a student must be evaluated to ensure that the disability requires special education or related services or supplementary aids and services. Therefore, a child whose ADHD does not interfere with his or her learning process may not be eligible for special education and related services under IDEA or supplementary aids and services under Section 504.

Have tangible reminders:
- A big clock in the bedroom;
- Charts for chores;
- Assignment pad to record homework and a specific folder to put work in upon completion; and
- Gain the child's attention before speaking to him or her. Have the child repeat back directions for things that are really important.
Avoid the following:
- Repeating patterns of inappropriate behavior followed by ineffective punishment;
- Administering consequences without prior warning or without the child understanding why he or she is receiving them; and
- Responding inconsistently to inappropriate behaviors.

Students with ADHD: Tips for Home