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!
Category Archives: Mental Health
In the Twittersphere
The following @Pts4Chg tweet has generated some good conversation and idea generation in the Twittersphere and beyond.
"'Once an addict decides to get care, they have to get in promptly — not four to six weeks…'" #opioid #yyc https://t.co/yrm8o4hhiy
— Patients 4 Change (@Pts4Chg) December 28, 2016
As one individual tweeted, “Problem needs a systems approach. A great opportunity for AHS innovation lab.”
If you have not read the article referred to in the tweet, you may wish to do so. (Thanks, Sandi, for bringing this news story to our attention.)
Autism and Workplace Success
For an individual with autism, finding and holding a job can be very difficult. However, according to a research project conducted by Lois Rosenwald, Renee DePastino and Patrick Iben, steps can be taken to make the workplace more supportive and conducive to a person with autism. To find out about the study’s findings and recommendations, read the article, “How can we help young adults with autism thrive in the workplace?”.
Helping at a Cost?
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)
Suicide Prevention Workshop
Our preventing suicide in youth workshop is FREE this September in #yyc: https://t.co/KDbaE5VU34 #WSPD2016 pic.twitter.com/huRN6tMsa1
— Suicide Prevention (@cspyyc) June 8, 2016
Straight Talk is a half-day workshop focusing on preventing suicide in youth. It is designed for parents, family and friends, and anyone who works with youth ranging in age from 12 to 24 years old.
Date: September 13, 2016
Location: Kahanoff Centre, 2nd Floor – 105 12 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Fee: Free
Contact: Candice Hickman, registrar@suicideinfo.ca or phone: 403-245-3900
Click here for more information about the workshop and to register online.
Nadeen’s Story
A member of our Pts4Chg community shared this video on Twitter. If you have not yet seen it, you may wish to take a few minutes to do so now.
Thank you, Nadeen, for sharing your story.
Drug-free protocol for treating chronic pain?
Chronic pain is one of the most taxing health problems facing individuals. Although the pain can be problematic in and of itself, it can be accompanied by depression, loss of livelihood and independence and/or addiction to prescription pain killers.
Joan Broderick, senior behavioral scientist and associate director of the Center for Self-Report Science at USC Dornsife’s Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), suggests an alternative to drug use. Click here to discover what it is.
An Interview with Clay Jonathan – Depression Comix
Clay Jonathan is the creator and artist behind the webcomic Depression Comix. Through his illustrations, he attempts to express some of the feelings, challenges and complexities associated with depression. As he says about the illustration above:
In this comic, the character tries to get help, but is weighed down by depression in a symbolic way. Her mother is unaware of the struggle and tells her that if she was really suffering, she’d pick up that phone and get help. I think a lot of people feel this way. They suffer in ways their friends and family can’t see or understand, but are treated like they aren’t trying. This is really frustrating and demotivates you further. Getting help is not as easy as some think it is.
Click here to read the full article.
Picturing Mental Illness
What does mental illness look like through the lens of a camera? How can a photo give voice and strength to the individual. “With Photography There Is No Stigma”: Turning a Lens on the Challenges of Mental Illness looks at these and other related questions.
