Mental health activist Dior Vargas recently founded an initiative called "People of Colour and Mental Illness Photo Project" which aims to "eradicate the stigma of mental illness within communities of colour and show a diverse representation of those who live with these conditions".
Prior to starting the project, Vargas had taken notice of how the media often fail to represent mental illness in other ethnicities besides Caucasian, and she wanted to set the record straight, in addition to encouraging conversation about mental illness among these communities and let affected individuals know that they are not alone. While Vargas hopes to create a book with all the photos individuals have sent in the near future, you can see some of the photos and learn more about the project here: http://diorvargas.com/poc-mental-illness/ http://www.buzzfeed.com/fionarutherford/this-photo-series-is-eradicating-the-stigma-of-mental-illnes#.ru2RwMG4Y Do you know a lawyer, judge or law student? If so consider directing them to a new program called "Mental Health and Wellness in the Legal Profession", an initiative designed by the The Canadian Bar Association / L'Association du Barreau canadien, the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, and Bell Let's Talk, specifically for those working in the field. Statistics Canada has found that doctors, lawyers, and engineers are all at higher risk of mental illness, including depression, anxiety, addiction and suicide, compared to the general population. And as a past president of the Canadian Bar reported, "As lawyers, we really are compelled to present a consistently confident view of ourselves, our place in the system and in our client's businesses", making it difficult for those in law to not only recognize mental health issues, but to also seek help. The course offered online is designed to provide "Canadian lawyers, judges, and law students education, supports, and resources to assist them in understanding mental health and addiction issues ... to contribute to the building of a culture of wellness and self-care throughout the legal profession in Canada". The course offers tips on fostering prevention strategies, how to recognize the symptoms of various disorders, as well as discusses the treatment options available, and offers support and resources where individuals can seek further help. You can learn more here: https://www.mdcme.ca/courseinfo.asp?id=176 http://globalnews.ca/news/2251373/new-canadian-program-helps-lawyers-judges-deal-with-mental-health-issues/ October 4-10 is Mental Illness Awareness Week! This year, the theme of the initiative is "Take Action Now". The week was established by the Canadian Psychiatric Association and is coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health to help "open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness" You can get involved by being an advocate for mental health through engaging in discussions about mental illness and talking about how we can improve our mental healthcare system. You can hear this year's "Faces of Mental Illness", including Wali Shah and Kendra Fisher, share their stories by checking out the MIAWCanada YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/MIAWCanada/videos or by checking out www.camimh.ca. Also, don't forget to show your support by tweeting #MIAW15 or #TakeActionNow on Twitter, or stay up-to-date with all the news and events by following @MIAWCanada. On the opening night of the Canadian Psychiatric Association conference, we had a chance to attend a unique musical forum held by Robb Nash and his bandmates. For those who don't know Robb, as a teenager he suffered a life-threatening car accident. On top of significant physical injuries, Robb also experienced "anger, self-doubt and depression". However, Robb found passion and purpose in music, which helped his body, soul and mind recover. Since then Robb has been using his story and musical talents to connect with youth and talk about tough subjects like mental health. He and his band now travel across Canada, providing free shows at schools, youth centres, and even detention facilities, to help individuals discover their significance and find inner hope. While it is obvious that Robb has had a profound impact on countless lives, his project has also helped to save lives as to date they report that over 350 students have turned in suicide notes to them following their shows. You can find out more about The Robb Nash Project and download their songs for free by clicking here: http://robbnash.com/ "The Robb Nash Project engages young people through the power of music and words, encouraging them to make positive life choices and lead lives of significance and purpose... Through personal stories, song and video, Robb sensitively deals with serious issues including drug and alcohol addiction, bullying, self-harm, #depression and suicide. He inspires youth to stay hopeful, recognize their unique strengths and make positive choices." Cakes and cookies are for many seen as "comfort foods" when feeling upset or low, while for others the act of baking itself has been thought of as possibly therapeutic for those with depression. More recently however, there is an emerging trend of selling these beloved baked goods to raise money for mental health initiatives... The Depressed Cake Shop, is one such movement, which was started by Emma Thomas, who wanted to help raise awareness of and raise funds for mental illness. The Depressed Cake Shop is unlike any typical bake sale however, as all the baked goods sold can only be found in a shade of grey, often with a hidden pop of colour to symbolize hope. While the project started as a series of pop-up shops around the UK, the idea has now caught on around the world. To date, Depressed Cake Shop pop-ups have taken place in Australia, India, Malaysia, Scotland as well as in the United States, and both amateur home bakers and professionals alike have come together to help ignite a conversation around mental health as well as share their delicious treats. Recently, the organization started a "Legacy of Laughter" project where a number of their "sugar artists" dedicated their cakes to Robin Williams (you can see some of the "art" on their website - link below). What also makes the Depressed Cake Shop special is that "Many of the cakes were designed and donated by bakers who had personal experience with depression, and they used their creations to express their struggles with and experiences of their illnesses. Others were compelled to join because they had seen friends and family members suffering and wanted to be part of a solution." To learn more about this initiative or how to get involved, check out: http://depressedcakeshop.org/ http://munchies.vice.com/articles/these-depressed-cupcakes-are-getting-people-to-talk-about-mental-health Did you know that today is World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September)?
This year, the theme is 'Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives’, which "encourages us all to consider the role that offering support may play in combating #suicide." You can learn more about #WSPD, by checking out the link below, joining in on the conversation on Twitter, or showing your support to those affected by suicide by lighting a candle at 8PM tonight! https://www.iasp.info/wspd/ For all the men out there, this is for you! While many joke about men avoiding the doctor, a new resource designed specifically for guys aims to increase mens' awareness of their mental health and of the signs of depression. In Canada, men are much more likely to go undiagnosed with depression, and they have a higher rate of completed suicides than their female counterparts. Due to these statistics, the Men’s Depression and Suicide Network, a "Canada-wide initiative to develop resources, services, and programs to improve the mental health and well-being of men", was born. As part of the initiative, which is based out of The University of British Columbia (UBC), an online resource called HeadsUpGuys was developed, which works to educate men about the symptoms, risk factors and triggers of depression and suicide. The website also includes a "self-check" screening tool, tips and information regarding stress management, personal stories and experiences from men who have faced depression, and plenty of resources and links to seek additional support and treatment. Check it out now and share with all the guys you know! http://headsupguys.ca/ https://www.facebook.com/HeadsUpGuys.ca?fref=ts Dubbed "The Lazarus Project", advocates from Camillus Health Concern and the Miami Coalition for the Homeless have come together to form a mental health outreach initiative aimed at providing medication and treatment to those who live on the streets of Miami, Florida and are living with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. The idea for the project stemmed from the observation that many of these homeless patients who were admitted to a psychiatric ward, often involuntarily, were placed on appropriate medications, but once released from the hospital, there was a lack of continuity in terms of treatment and mental health support, and these patients would fail to take their pills and end up falling back into the dark depths of their mental illness. You can learn more about the initiative, including learning about those for whom the project has made a difference, as well as the ongoing difficulties and challenges of the project by checking out the article below: "Every morning, the two Miami homeless-outreach workers tour downtown in a white Ford Econoline along with a psychiatric nurse practitioner from Camillus Health. They go out in search of a small group of men and women who are among the most isolated and desperate of Miami’s homeless population, in order to earn their trust, diagnose their condition and then hand them their medication and watch them take it. The program is entirely voluntary. But without the drugs — which take weeks of daily use before quelling symptoms of mental illness — they will likely continue to bounce between the streets, psychiatric wards, hospital beds and jail cells. By tracking them down every day to give them their pills, Trueba’s crew has shown they can draw some of Miami’s most vulnerable from out of the shadows and back into the light." |
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Supporting and enhancing students' and health professionals' knowledge and understanding of mental health and psychiatry
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