Let’s get youth to open up about anxiety with two animated series that they can relate to. Caretoons not only make us laugh but also start the conversation about mental health in teens’ everyday lives.
With humour and heart, Caretoons normalize anxiety in an entertaining way and encourage youth to talk to someone they trust, such as a parent, teacher, or friend. Premiering on Anxiety Canada’s YouTube, these two animated series focus social anxiety, health anxiety, contamination OCD, and more.
Meet Drexal, the fun and friendly alien star of Galaxy Brain, who copes with anxiety as he navigates life on a moonbase with his trusted computer sidekick. He may be a different species, but Drexal faces many of the same situations as we do here on Earth.
Then there’s Chris Crust in Time Travelling Pizza, an average slice of pizza—except for his time travelling powers! When he starts feeling anxious, he leans on future Chris to help him realize that nothing is as bad as he imagines.
Watch the stars of these animated series learn to cope with their own anxiety!
Find Drexal the alien and Chris Crust the Time Travelling Pizza on the Anxiety Canada Caretoons Page!
Share our fun cartoons with friends and on social media to spread the word about coping with anxiety.
Caretoons is an easy way to start a conversation using humour and examples that young people can identify with.
Youth aren’t the only ones who find it difficult to talk about mental health. If you are a parent, educator, or health care provider and need help introducing this subject, these short, funny, and educational animations can open the door for communication. They let teens and pre-teens know that talking about their anxieties is okay and can make them feel less alone.
“We know that the pressures of the last year have taken a toll on our community, especially young people. These videos will help many young people build resilience to cope with the stress of these uncertain times.”
–Sheila Malcolmson, British Columbia’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
Voiced by acclaimed comedian and author, Charlie Demers, each episode entertains and informs, serving as a way to share difficult feelings in a non-threatening way.
Many teens don’t realize that what they’re feeling is anxiety. Being able to name their fears, recognize symptoms of anxiety, and understand the impact it has on their lives, are important steps that you can help them with. Watching the characters in these series deal with their own anxieties gives kids situations and feelings they can relate to and talk about.
Caretoons, the animated series, was created with the support of British Columbia’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions by Point Blank Creative, and Anxiety Canada.
Once an open discussion has been started, what’s next?
Working together, you can use the free My Anxiety Plan (MAP) program for a child or teen to learn about practical strategies and tools to manage anxiety. Six units take you through a step-by-step anxiety management program based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you understand and tackle hard feelings at your own pace.
If you’re looking for more answers about helping children and teens with anxiety, as well as other mental health resources, take a look at Anxiety Canada’s helpful links below. They cover a wide variety of useful information and ideas for teens, parents, educators, or health care providers.
Caretoons on YouTube – Watch our new episodes of Galaxy Brain and Time Travelling Pizza. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be updated when new episodes arrive and check out our other videos!
Educator Resources – Take a look at our resources for educators on the Anxiety Canada website.
Resources about Anxiety in Youth – Find information to help youths manage anxiety, plus information and self-help strategies for several disorders.
Resources about Anxiety in Children – Discover practical strategies and tools that help you manage your child’s anxiety.
Check out our other free resources, such as our award-winning anxiety management app MindShift CBT; listen to our podcast #OurAnxietyStories, download one of our many helpful PDF resources, or explore educational articles on our website.
You can also take a look at our MindShift CBT Groups—an 8-week online group therapy program for adults (19+).