And We’re Off!


Today, Tuesday, June 6th, is the day for you to ask and answer the following question.
“What Matters to You?”
Join in the discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #wmty17 and on the public blog found at https://t.co/sLz6U3P5nL

Walking for a Cause

On Saturday, February 25th, some members of the Patients 4 Change community participated in the “Coldest Night of the Year” walk. This annual event saw hundreds of Calgarians bundling up and trekking 2, 5 or 10 km to raise money for the homeless, hungry and hurting.


Not only was this a great way to help others in the Calgary community, it also was a lot of fun. In fact, the Pts4Chg members, who walked under the name of “Team Goose Bump,” got so caught up in the excitement and conversation that they walked two blocks past a key corner that was to take them to the finish line. What’s a few more blocks added to a 10km walk?!

Looking forward  to next year’s event. 

Bell Let’s Talk – 2017


On January 25th, 2017, Bell will donate 5 cents towards mental health initiatives in Canada for every text, call, tweet, Instagram post, Facebook video view and Snapchat geofilter. Be sure to include #BellLetsTalk in your Twitter and Instagram messages . Let’s make 2017 the best Bell Let’s Talk Day yet. Every interaction counts!

Helping at a Cost?

Young man sitting looking upset 

Depression is not only difficult for the person him/herself but also for individuals who are trying to assist and support this person. Oft times, when trying to provide assistance, a person neglects his/her own needs. The question becomes, “How can one give to the other person without forfeiting oneself?” 

On HelpGuide.org, a number of suggestions are provided. All focus on supporting a depressed person while at the same time maintaining one’s own wellness and well-being. The importance of recognizing oneself while giving to another is explained in the following way. “Thinking about your own needs is not an act of selfishness—it’s a necessity. Your emotional strength will allow you to provide the ongoing support your depressed friend or family member needs.” (www.helpguide.org)

Outgrowing Childhood Trauma?

[Nadine Burke Harris] believes that regarding childhood trauma as a medical issue helps her to treat more effectively the symptoms of patients. Moreover, she believes, this approach, when applied to a large population, might help alleviate the broader dysfunction that plagues poor neighborhoods. — The New Yorker

According to Nadine Burke Harris, childhood trauma is not something a one gets over or grows out of. Instead, its effect can last a lifetime and cause health issues including heart disease and lung cancer. Click here to watch Burke Harris’ TEDMED presentation, “How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime.”

Insight into Insite

nytinsite

Insite is the first legal supervised interjection site in North America.  Located in Vancouver, Canada, people can inject drugs in a safe place that is health focused.  The goal of Insite, which is operated and funded by Vancouver Coastal Health, is to “decrease the adverse health, social and economic consequences of drug use without requiring abstinence from drug use.” (http://www.vch.ca/public-health/harm-reduction/supervised-consumption-sites Continue reading

The Words We Use

words_can_hurt_or_heal1As children, many of us learn that there are words which, for a variety of reasons, should be avoided.  Not only can the use of these “taboo” words result in a terse scolding, but one might also find oneself with a mouth full of bubbles, thanks to a bar of soap. Unfortunately, some words or phrases are commonly used without a person recognizing that they are equally as offensive and/or hurtful as those seen as taboo.

In a recent blog post, JR Thorpe identifies nine mental illness phrases that should not be used.  According to Thorpe, “There are generally two reasons for eliminating mental illness terms from your common everyday vocabulary. One is that they’re plain offensive; the other is that using them in an inaccurate way spreads misinformation and creates misconceptions about a condition’s seriousness.”  Click here to read Thorpe’s article and discover how many of the words/phrases noted are part of your vocabulary.

What About Physician Stories?

We often hear patient stories – how an experience affected the individual, lessons learned, fears faced, tears shed etc.  However, it is less common for us to hear physician stories.  What do doctors experience?  How do they feel?  What fears do they have?  In a recent article found in The Globe and Mail, psychiatrist David Goldbloom shares with us what it is like to lose a patient to suicide.

As I listen to Stan’s message on my voice-mail, I organize some stuff on my desk. Stan’s recorded voice sounds uncharacteristically small and hesitant. He tells me that earlier this afternoon Daryl jumped to his death from his apartment balcony.

Everything is suddenly still.

I play the message several times, listening closely for something I may have missed, but my thoughts are inexorably drawn to my meeting with Daryl two days before, seeing his wrinkled, checkered shirt, his unshaved face, his slow smile.

I sit at my desk, staring out the window, trying to think of the orderly steps of notification and documentation dictated by our policy and procedures manual. Then, in the privacy and silence of my office, I hold my head in my hands and weep. 

Click here to continue reading.

We Talked – Bell Let’s Talk Day

The Bell Let’s Talk Day generated 122,150,772 tweets, texts, calls and shares, which is a new record. This, in turn, will see Bell donating $6,107,538.60 to mental health. Although the official Let’s Talk Day has passed, the conversation must continue. As Ian Mendes states in his recent tweet,