On May 9, Mental and Emotional Health Awareness Renaissance (MEHAR) hosted a screening of four short films produced by the organization at the Film.ca Cinema in Oakville.
Each film showcased a different aspect of mental health and addiction to educate audiences and promote awareness and empathy for those suffering from mental illness.
The event also celebrated a $12,500 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to MEHAR.
“MEHAR is a nonprofit organization that uses the arts to raise awareness about mental health,” according to a press release from the organization. , following a unique approach to creating/using art such as music and storytelling.”
The same press release states that the capital grant will enable MEHAR to secure “technical equipment to support the organization of film events that raise awareness about mental health and addiction.”
The event began at 9:30 a.m., with complimentary snacks and coffee provided to the audience in Theater 2, where the screening took place, and typical movie food such as popcorn and candy available for purchase at concession stands outside the auditorium. was completed.
Yesenia Morillo, Oakville Assemblyman Stephen Crawford's campaign manager, attended the event on Crawford's behalf. In her opening remarks, she spoke about MEHAR's role in the community.
“We also commend your perseverance, overcoming obstacles, breaking down the stigma of mental illness, and working together to bring about positive change in our communities,” Morillo said. said. “More than one million Ontarians experience mental health or addiction issues each year.”
She also spoke about the work the Ontario government has done to support mental health efforts across Ontario.
“Since 2018, the Ontario government has increased its focus on youth mental health, introduced innovative programs with comprehensive supports, and increased investment by 25 per cent,” Morillo said.
Rekha Vaishnav, Executive Director and Creative Head of MEHAR, introduced the film and spoke about the group's mission statement.
“For me, the theme this time is kindness and compassion,” Vaishnav said. “Stigma is the biggest barrier to kindness towards people living with mental illness. At MEHAR, we believe that awareness is the first step in removing this stigma. Furthermore, we believe that art can raise awareness, We believe that art is the most powerful tool to increase sensitivity and empathy. Therefore, MEHAR works to raise awareness and build a caring and kind community for individuals and families living with mental illness and addiction. selected.”
Mr. Vaishnav also thanked OTF and its contribution to the organization. A donation box was placed at the refreshment table for guests to donate their money to nonprofit organizations.
The screenings then began, with the first film focusing on bipolar disorder, the second on schizophrenia, and the third and fourth films on addiction.
After the film ended, Vaishnav and Film.ca special events manager Anna Maria Hartley spoke about their personal experiences with postpartum depression in honor of Mother's Day.
Ms. Hartley began her story.
“You look in the mirror and ask, 'Why am I not happy?' Why am I pretending? Why am I not happy with my baby? Why is it too hard? Why? Am I this sad?'' Hartley said.
Mr Hartley said 85 per cent of mothers experience “baby blues”, but most symptoms disappear within a few months after treatment.
Unfortunately for Hartley, those feelings never went away.
“I started to feel ashamed of how I was feeling,” Hartley said.
She told a story about when a family came to shoot a home video of her and the twins. While everyone was happy and looking forward to the occasion, Hartley was battling inner demons.
When the doorbell rang, she handed the baby to her husband, ran up the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom.
Hartley said she had intrusive thoughts about killing herself and her children at the same time.
She is one in 10 women who experience postpartum depression after having a child.
She urged the audience to seek help if they have difficulty bonding with their newborn child or if they feel like harming themselves or their baby.
Vaishnav then spoke about suffering from postpartum depression, crying constantly for no reason and worrying about her family's ability to raise her daughter.
Vaishnav also experienced postpartum psychosis and was prescribed antipsychotic medication. She said this influenced her decision not to have any more children because of her fear that the same thing would happen to her again.
Mr. Vaishnav then introduced Hema Sandhu, a licensed psychotherapist practicing in Mississauga, to further explain the symptoms and treatment of postpartum depression.
The event concluded with concluding remarks by Mr. Vaishnav. After the screening, she spoke about the effectiveness of art in educating people about mental health.
“It gives you a kind of multi-sensory learning experience,” Vaishnav said. “Rather than just looking at slides and listening to a lecture, you're looking, looking, feeling, and listening. So this is a very engaging format for learning everything.”
Vaishnav said the short film's director Harpal Singh brought a multicultural perspective to the work.
“he [Singh] “Living in Canada, I feel like we are a multicultural society,” Vaishnav said. “And I personally believe that kindness and compassion are inherent in any skin color, any language, any race, any creed. That's why we believe that help is available to everyone. I want to show people that.”
She also said the topic of addiction was brought up specifically because more people are using drugs during the coronavirus pandemic.
Vaishnav said MEHAR is currently working on a film that focuses on anxiety disorders and is considering releasing it on October 10, World Mental Health Day.
Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca
