“The negative stereotypes that shame those with mental illness and prevent them from seeking help don’t just constitute stigma ― they’re discrimination. It’s a blatant, prejudicial outlook on a certain population."

Mental illness is not a choice. So why is society so quick to shame and blame those who are suffering? We do not tell patients with cancer to “get over it” and to "cheer up". We do not tell those with a broken limb to “shake it off”. We need to tear down the social constructs that tell us that mental illness is "all in your head". We need to bridge the gap between the ways in which we view physical health and mental health. 

Mental health is not a choice. But we can choose to speak up in the face of stigma and discrimination. We can choose to be empathetic and compassionate. We can choose to open our ears and our minds to those affected by mental illness.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mental-health-discrimination_us_57e55d07e4b0e28b2b53a896?utm_hp_ref=mental-health-canada

In November, brother and sister duo Kelvin and Tunchai Redvers began an online campaign designed to share messages of hope and resiliency to Indigenous youth across Canada. Having experienced and been witness to hopelessness, suicide, addiction, bullying, abuse, and addiction themselves in their home community in the Northwest Territories, the pair felt it was important to remind youth that they are not alone, that their lives matter, and that they are surrounded by love, hope, and support in their communities and beyond.

Their project, We Matter, allows individuals from across the country to share video messages, artwork, and poems to Indigenous youth, which offer words of encouragement and positivity, stories of lived experience, and messages of resiliency and strength. More than that, the project aims to build stronger communities and help youth break silence, find help, and speak out about the hardships they face. 

"At 15, Redvers almost became a statistic herself, ingesting a toxic amount of pills before phoning her mom.

“Me taking the pills was hitting rock bottom and was my cry for help,” says Tunchai. “I began to learn the importance of breaking the silence and reaching out for help.”

Now 22, Redvers is hoping a national non-profit she founded with her brother, Kelvin Redvers, will help other aboriginal youth do the same.

The pair launched We Matter last month, a website with video messages of hope from First Nation youth and leaders, as well as heartbreaking stories from community members who tried to take their own life, or thought about it."

Check out the We Matter campaign and help forward these messages to those in need by visiting and sharing the sites below:
https://wemattercampaign.org
​https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/12/03/two-northern-siblings-who-made-hope-go-viral.html

Since being hospitalized on a 5150 hold, where individuals are detained in hospital for up to 72 hours for further psychiatric assessment, Kanye West has been a trending topic on various social media pages as people around the world begin to weigh in on the topic.

A scroll through Twitter revealed comments such as: 
- "Kanye in hospital with temporary psychosis, name one genius that ain't crazy?"
- "Kanye West is said to be recovering well in hospital after a nine hour operation to remove his head from his arsehole."
- "Kanye west, Kid Cudi and Orlando Brown should drop a mixtape called Asylum."
- "Kanye West cancels tour amidst public temper tantrums and emotional instability. His bid for the White House 2020 is shaping up nicely."
- "Kanye west hospitalized, our thoughts go out to all the hospital staff at this difficult time."

It's remarkable that in those early days following the news breaking how few comments there were empathizing or sending messages of hope, strength, or recovery; rather, social media pages were filled more with comments minimizing, joking, or making diagnostic presumptions with little but a TMZ report or personal opinions to base it on. 
​
In the article below, reporter Andre Picard is quick to remind us all of a few powerful messages regarding mental health that really should be what we take away from West and other celebrities' such hospitalizations. The first, that mental illness does not discriminate; it affects 1 in 5 individuals each year and sometimes this even includes celebrities; they are human and are no more immune to mental illness than we ourselves are. The second, that mental illness is no laughing or joking matter; it can significantly affect one's daily function, livelihood, and of course their family and relationships. By minimizing or making fun of West's recent hospitalization and mental stability we only serve to perpetuate stigma and make light of the pain and suffering that others who have once lived through or experienced similar difficulties have . Thirdly, be cautious of playing doctor or therapist and giving your own diagnostic impression. It is unfair to make a diagnosis given the limited information or relating it simply to West's recent comments regarding Donald Trump or his "creativity". Be mindful and simply consider how you would react to such messages should you or a loved one be faced with a similar situation. For anyone, being involuntary detained in hospital for psychiatric assessment can be a terrifying, confusing, and ultimately distressing time.

To read the full article, visit:
​www.theglobeandmail.com/life/celebrity-news/what-we-can-learn-from-kanye-wests-public-struggles/article32990775/

Wishing everyone a safe and fun Halloween! With another All Hallow's Eve upon us, we reflect on the abundance of news articles over the last few weeks that explore the use of psychiatric wards and mentally unwell patients in Halloween entertainment, from horror shows and haunted houses to individual costumes.

While those who dress up in straightjackets or visit houses designed like asylums often do so in the quest for frightful fun, it is important to remember the deeper impact this sort of entertainment can have on those with lived experience and even society in general. Mental health advocates believe using mental illness to generate screams serve only to perpetuate stigma surrounding mental health and further entrench long-held myths such as how mental health patients are violent. Moreover, for those who suffer from mental illness these attractions can be hurtful or offensive, as for them their diagnosis is not a costume that they "can take off whenever we feel like it".

In both the articles below, two mental health advocates and those with mental health issues themselves, including Professor of Psychology at Columbia university and TED speaker Andrew Solomon, share their take on mental illness in Halloween. 

"For those of us with firsthand experience with mental illness — especially those who have experienced trauma in a mental hospital — such entertainment ventures cut much too close to the bone. When my mother was dying of cancer, she was admitted to some miserable wards, but I find it hard to envision a Halloween event at which you would pretend to be getting chemotherapy and vomiting constantly while surrounded by patients driven into the quasi-dementia that comes of unremitting pain...
​
Sanity and mental illness lie on a spectrum, and most people occasionally cross over from one side to the other. It’s the proximity of mental illness rather than its obscurity that makes it so scary. But it should be scary in a “fix the broken care system” way or in a “figure out the brain’s biology” way, and not in a “scream for laughs” kind of way."

For more information, click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/opinion/mental-illness-is-not-a-horror-show.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0
https://themighty.com/2016/10/why-mental-illness-shouldnt-be-a-halloween-costume/

In her fifth poem, poet Brenda McDonald beautifully illustrates and describes the experience of #depression, and the associated feelings of falling, loneliness and hopelessness, as well as lightly touching on the stigma surrounding #mentalhealth.






​
Free Falling
Life is full of highs and lows, happy and sad, give and take, you and me
But what if life takes my breath away and doesn't give it back...?
The mental health struggles become like mountains that continue to rise
For some, suicide may feel like the one and only way to deal with the pain
But what if I feel like I am free falling with absolutely no end in sight?

Farther and farther away from help, support, love and hope
Like a bird swooping precariously downward, having lost its wings to
redirect
Imagine going down a roller coaster without screams of excitement
Or bungee jumping off a tall bridge without a surge of exhilaration
Only feelings of despair prevail, lost to yourself and the world around you
Plunge without knowing if there will be anyone or anything to save you

Wanting to live, but not sure how to stop the advancing train of
hopelessness
Heading right for you, whistle blowing, scaring the crap out of mind and
body

Pretending to be fine, smiling and laughing, when I'm crying huge tears
inside
Thought-sucking Gremlins surround, attack and win without any moral
hesitation
The only person that really knows my truths, sees me once/week for an hour
Still I have untold secrets churning around inside, pleading to be let out
and shared

Not easy to open up about depression and anxiety, too much stigma to risk
much
Strong but weak, healthy but ill, outgoing but lonely, energetic but
lethargic

Who will hold my hand to comfort me, stay by my side, when blinding darkness
pervades?
Wearing a concealed suit of emotional armour, how do I allow love's power to
tear it off me?
Oh how I long to feel genuinely loved, believe that I'm loveable, it's vital
to my survival

Perched on an illusory cloud in the vast sky above, I look down with
trepidation and wonder
What is it like to live with purpose, direction, self-worth and a sense of
belonging?
I see people embracing light, hugging each other, singing with joy, letting
go and living
Our world has room for everyone, so why do I feel like there is no room for
someone like me?

One personal journey but many pathways, some old and some new, uncertainty
rules
Who will guide me down an undiscovered trail when I become paralysed with
fear and worry?

Life is full of smooth and rough, dreams and reality, chocolate and Brussels
sprouts
But what if life takes my spirited vitality away and doesn't give it
back...?
The mental health struggles become like oceans that continue to widen
For some, suicide may feel like the one and only way to deal with the pain
But what if I feel like I am free falling with absolutely no end in sight?

Questions come easily to me but answers not so much
Sitting by the edge, I ponder....

Early in April, Amber Smith shared two photos of herself on her Facebook page; one in which she is all dressed up, an image she describes as the "normal" version of herself she showcases to the world, and the other of her "true normal" self only she tends to see shortly after she's had a panic attack. Amber posted the photos in an effort to break down the ‪‎stigma‬ of invisible conditions such as ‪‎anxiety‬ and ‪‎depression‬, and demonstrate just how often people assume that because one appears youthful and fine (an image often portrayed by our social media presence), you can’t experience severe and debilitating mental health conditions.Rather Amber's photos work to highlight how mental illness does not discriminate and encourages us to recall the old adage of "not judging a book by its cover". Smith also hopes that her photos helps others who are also struggling in silence and provides them with the courage and encouragement they need to seek help.

"‘Do you know how many people that equates to worldwide?! And yet I’ve been battling with anxiety and depression for years and years and there’s still people that make comments like “you’ll get over it”, “you don’t need tablets, just be happier”, “you’re too young to suffer with that'"...
​
Shockingly, she described a conversation she had recently been a part of, where someone actually had the audacity to ask her: ”Aren’t you too young to be suffering with anxiety and depression? What do you actually have to be depressed about at your age?”

To read more click here: ​http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/06/girl-speaks-out-about-battle-with-anxiety-with-photos-taken-minutes-after-a-panic-attack-5798797/

In her second poem "What Does That Mean To You", poet Brenda McDonald, shares some powerful thoughts about mental illness, including how mental health conditions do not discriminate. In addition, Brenda's poem is a reminder to us all that mental illness does not define an individual, and that by continuing to talk about mental health and by being empathetic and understanding we can really help support those suffering with mental health conditions.

What Does That Mean To You?
"Person with mental illness"
What does that mean to you?
Can I be a leader, specialist, educator
And have that label too?

No one is immune from the piercing claws of depression
Life-altering anxiety cripples one's mind. apprehensive intrusion
Money, education and career don't protect from mental health concerns
Suicide claims our loved ones lives; no gender, age, social or cultural
exclusion

I have mental health issues
But 'who I am' is so much more
I'm not my depression or my anxiety
Look to my heart, my soul, my core

Value experience and education together
Each one of us, we are unique but united
Take time for and learn from one another
Real face to face time, human contact ignited

Listen openly to what I am saying
Show me, I need to know you care,
Being vulnerable is a place to start
To reduce stigma, we must share

Look beyond the words spoken
Body language talks, be aware
Hiding behind the mask happens
Notice hope replaced with despair

Why does my life matter? Why live?
Many ask these questions every day
Reach out with empathy, a loving touch
"I'm here for you, I'm not leaving, OK?"

Humans have so much to offer in this world
We have unlimited love and learning potential
Our minds can take us to mountain tops and valleys
Taking care of our mental health is essential

Life is complex, so many paths to travel down
We may be on a dangerous road, reroute now
No one's on a pedestal; no person is better than you or me
For those dealing with mental illness, let's help somehow

"Person with mental illness"
What does that mean to you?
Can I be a leader, specialist, educator
And have that label too?

University of British Columbia psychiatrist, Dr. Diane McIntosh speaks out about the toll our words can take on an individual who lives with and is being treated for ‪mental illness‬. Specifically, Dr. McIntosh reminds us that whether it be a comment from a friend, family member, or physician, how we talk about mental health can have a huge impact on an individual's perception of themselves, their mental well-being, and their strength. As Dr. McIntosh has seen with her own patients, certain comments also have the power to negatively impact patients' treatment and recovery.

"Lillian finally told me that the in-patient doctor had quipped, "You're on too much medication." The doctor hadn't elaborated on what she meant by "too much," nor did she call me or Lillian's GP to ask for the treatment rationale or to express concern.

It was just a passing comment, but those words powerfully undermined Lillian's confidence and stirred up her long-held fear that her illness was a weakness or personal failure.

She thought that she should be able to get over it on her own and she shouldn't need to rely on medications. She feared that medications might be causing more harm than good, even though she felt better."

For the full article, click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/diane-mcintosh/mental-illness-stigma_b_9312252.html

Laura Schep, one of Dalhousie Medical School's own, recently shared a thought-provoking story for the CMAJ Student Humanities Blog that offered a reflection on some of her experiences with patients in family practice who suffered from ‎mental illness‬. In her article, Schep discovers that even patients can be stigmatizing of themselves, and explores what impact this may have on their perception of ‪‎mental health‬ and their treatments. A ‪‎must read‬!

“It’s embarrassing, to need this,” I continue, and that’s when I feel the familiar shame creeping in. It envelops me in its invisible cloak and steadily tightens until it feels impossible to continue breathing. Then the tears break through; I’ve been holding them in so long. I have a job, a family, good health. So why do I need these? What is missing for me? What is wrong with me? These questions I’ve asked myself a million times, but no answer has ever come.

For the full piece, click here: http://cmajblogs.com/brain-vitamins/

Check out all the news related to mental health and psychiatry from the last few weeks!