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Turning Thoughts and Words into Advocacy Actions

2/1/2017

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Last week, millions of Canadians rallied together to raise money for mental health initiatives around the country through Bell Let's Talk. 
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While this annual event has led to millions of dollars being raised, encouraged individuals to share their stories of lived experiences with mental illness, and helped to combat stigma in our society, there is still a great deal of work that needs to be done to make meaningful changes that improve access to much needed public mental health services. 

Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, speaks just to this. In a recent article, she calls on us to take action and continue working towards change at the governmental level. As she states, it's time we advocate for political efforts and policies that prioritize mental health care, which would mean increased funding for more mental health services and programs, reducing long wait times and high rates of untreated patients, and increased support for mental health research and innovation.

"We need to question a publicly funded national health care system that does not cover effective treatments for mental illness—especially when governments of all levels claim that mental health is central to all health. Currently, there is no mechanism for Canadians, especially those with limited means, to access some of the most effective interventions. A commonly recommended form of structured psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, is generally covered in Canada through a third party insurance provider, or at a public hospital like CAMH. A good third-party insurance policy covers about one and a half sessions per year. Think about the absurdity of covering only one and a half sessions of chemotherapy or palliative care. Why should a lower standard for mental health care be acceptable to us? Access to evidence-based treatment like structured psychotherapy is a healthcare right—not a luxury—for the thousands of Canadians living with mental illness."

http://torontoist.com/2017/01/fund-mental-health/

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Adverse childhood experiences: the single greatest unaddressed public health threat

10/17/2016

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We now understand better than ever how exposure to early adversity affects the developing brains and bodies of children. It affects areas like the nucleus accumbens, the pleasure and reward center of the brain that is implicated in substance dependence. It inhibits the prefrontal cortex, which is necessary for impulse control and executive function, a critical area for learning. And on MRI scans, we see measurable differences in the amygdala, the brain's fear response center. So there is concrete neurologic evidence why those exposed to high doses of adversity are more likely to engage in high risk behaviour and suffer worse health outcomes. 

To learn more about this enlightening research see Dr. Nadine Burke Harris' TED Talk: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?language=en

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A new paradigm for mental health. 

9/26/2016

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#depression redefined in Dr. Kelly Brogan's new novel ' A Mind of Your Own' where she cites lifestyle imbalances and inflammation as potential causes. She urges her patients to see:
'depression as an opportunity, a sign for us to stop and figure out what’s causing our imbalance rather than just masking, suppressing, or rerouting the symptoms. It’s a chance to choose a new story, to engage in radical transformation, to say yes to a different life experience.'


​http://goop.com/the-roots-of-mental-health-maybe-theyre-not-in-our-heads/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=The+Roots+of+Mental+Health

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A Resident Shares Her Story of Depression in Residency and Advocates For Increased Action For Physician Wellness and Support

8/23/2016

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In this must read article for all current and soon-to-be residents, Dr. Elisabeth Poorman describes her own experience of developing depression while starting work as a new physician. She also highlights other studies, including her own survey of other physicians, to further demonstrate how mental health struggles are not uncommon among those in the medical profession, and despite residency programs and hospitals giving increased attention to "physician wellness and self-care", there are still multiple barriers to finding and receiving adequate support.

At the end of the article, Dr. Poorman also provides some excellent suggestions that may work to better equip new physicians with the help and services they need to address their mental health issues, in addition to helping them build resiliency, one of the biggest keys of all.

"By the end of my first year of residency, I knew I was in trouble.

I was overwhelmed by the 15-hour days, the unbearable sadness of the tragedies I witnessed, my feelings of impotence and my fears of making a mistake.

My life was my work and everything else seemed to be falling apart: my physical health, my relationships, my ability to sleep after months of night shifts.

Yet, I came to work every day. I completed every task. And then I'd go home each night and cry. An administrator pulled me aside one morning: “How’s it going?” she asked.

I began to sob. “Well, get yourself together and get ready for the day,” she said. I dried my tears off in the bathroom and readied for the rest of my 12-hour shift...

... In writing this piece, I've come to realize that we continue to treat mental health disorders in medical training and practice as the exception. But in reality, mental health disorders in residency are the rule, and those who never experience them are the exception. And though it is common, it should not be dismissed as “normal.” We should not tell trainees, as I was told by numerous colleagues and my own providers, that “this is just residency.” I had clinical depression, and it was very treatable once I was able to get adequate care." 


For the full article, click here:
http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2016/08/19/depression-resident-doctor?utm_campaign=npr&utm_content=20160821&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=nprnews

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Universities and Mental Health Accommodations 

1/13/2016

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When York University student Navi Dhanota requested academic supports in the context of mental health issues, York requested that she provide the specific diagnosis, which she thought was unnecessary and only perpetuated stigmatization and the fear of other affected students seeking additional supports. As a result, Dhanota filed a human rights complaint against York's requirement and finally after a two year long battle, a settlement has been reached. Thanks to Dhanota, the university's guidelines have been rewritten and now students at York no longer have to label their mental illness in order to gain access to on-campus supports. While Dhanota's determination and advocacy efforts have made a huge impact on York University, it is also paving the way for other schools, as it encourages other universities and campuses across the country to reconsider their own similar policies.

"Post-secondary schools shouldn’t require students to name their disability for fair access to supports, a government-funded report advises. It’s not only about peoples’ privacy rights. A medical diagnosis is just unnecessary for schools to provide critical help, says Michael Condra, a psychologist and lead author of Academic Accommodations, which outlined ways to make campuses more accessible. Labelling a complex illness such as depression, which can manifest in many different ways, won’t do as much to help a student as a doctor noting exactly how the illness affects that person’s ability to learn, says Condra."

For the full article, click here: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/01/12/york-university-student-wins-mental-health-fight.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

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    Supporting and enhancing students' and health professionals' knowledge and understanding of mental health and psychiatry

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