The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has designated the first full week of May as Mental Health Week.
This year's theme centers around the healing power of compassion.
“One of the important things about Mental Health Week is that just as we all have physical health, we all have mental health,” said Barrett Plett, a counselor with Recovery of Hope and a Manitou school counselor. I think the idea is to have good health as well.” “Talking about mental health isn't something you do in secret without telling anyone. But it can be done. You can talk about it the same way you talk about knee pain.”
According to CMHA, compassion is defined as the practice of responding to suffering with kindness, whether it is one's own suffering or the suffering of others, and is often confused with empathy. Empathy involves sensing, feeling, and understanding another person's experience, but compassion extends beyond empathy into the realm of taking action.
A recent survey by CMHA found that while nearly all Canadians (92%) claim to be considerate, only 38% have taken proactive steps to alleviate hardship in the past year. It turned out to be.
Plett has found that one of the most common mental health issues for teens is anxiety.
“Children and families have a lot of demands on them, and I think that can sometimes create anxiety for people.
Anxiety is often related to struggles with self-esteem and the use of mobile devices, Plett added.
“Even young high school students feel like they have to be available to their friends all the time. They're worried they'll miss out on a conversation or that their friends will be upset if they don't like what they post. “I'm worried about that.'' In a short enough period of time. ”
Plett believes there is immense pressure on people to stay connected and active.
“Also, when kids (and adults) scroll through their social media feeds and see perfect people living perfect lives, we realize that we're not doing a very good job.” You forget that the world you see through social media is very selective, that there's nothing very nice to look at or exciting adventures.”
Plett maintains her mental health by being active, expressing her creativity by drawing and writing, and enjoying the outdoors.
Another common problem he sees is ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
“While it's not a mental health problem per se, I think people with ADHD struggle to find ways to cope in a world that doesn't always have the right environment for them. .”
To combat ADHD, Plett advises finding activities that quicken your mind's pace and taking breaks to refocus on what's important.
Jayme Giesbrecht, director of development for the Eden Foundation in Winkler, said this week is about providing people with the resources available at Eden Healthcare Services. She acknowledges that the system is not perfect, especially when it comes to accessing mental health care for severe and persistent mental illness.
“But for Mental Health Week we are focusing more on the wellbeing and mental health of the general public. What can we do to improve mental health? Improve our communities overall and reduce crime rates. For all of us in our community, we are here, and we want you to know that there are some resources here. Masu. ”
Giesbrecht said the Eden Foundation leverages social media to promote a unique approach to mental health awareness.
“We have created a mental health bingo card with different categories of things you can do to improve your mental health, and we are implementing this internally for Eden staff, and Southern Health is doing the same. The list includes things like: Going for a walk, watching your favorite movie, cleaning a room at home, there are many things we can do to be active. Sometimes it's good for your mental health, sometimes just resting is good for your mental health. You have to decide what you need, and sometimes it's hard to know. ”
Giesbrecht believes this is the perfect week to take inventory and decide what you need to do for your own mental health.
