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." As you may remember, a few months ago, the Supreme Court of Canada made history when they unanimously struck down the ban that prohibited physician-assisted death for adults suffering "grievous" and "irremediable" conditions. While many applauded the decision in favour of personal autonomy and approved of Canadian citizens having the right to decide whether they wish to die with dignity or not, within the field of psychiatry hesitation and concern still lingers ... Specifically, many psychiatrists are worried about how the new ruling will affect patients with mental health conditions, as they fear many would argue that certain mental illnesses cause "intolerable suffering" and treatments are often used for symptom control rather than a definite cure, making it fit under the "irremediable" criteria as well. What's more is that some are arguing that psychiatric assessments should be performed for every person seeking assisted death, which could place psychiatrists in more of a "gatekeeper role" and in a immensely difficult position trying to balance between "enabling" suicide/death while still trying to protect patients, particularly those with mental illness. To learn more about what psychiatrists from around the country are saying about this topic, check out the interesting article here: http://news.nationalpost.com/health/0914-na-suicide "The ruling is creating deep discomfort in a field of medicine where “cures” are rare, and where many worry there is every possibility severe depression and other mental illnesses could meet the test for assisted suicide, or even euthanasia — death by lethal injection — as set out by the court, as long as the person is competent and can provide free and informed consent... The big fear for psychiatrists is that they may be participating in physician-assisted death, when there is a chance for treatment." Never underestimate the power of cake is the underlying theme of "Saved By Cake" a new book by Marian Keyes, a well-known best selling author and one of the pioneers of the "chick-lit" genre". While Saved By Cake is not the traditional novel one expects from Keyes, it is immensely more than just a cookbook detailing delicious and tasty recipes. Rather, it is a refreshing account of how baking helped Keyes through an incredibly difficult period of depression ... "Marian had already made one suicide attempt, in her 30s, when she was suffering from alcoholism. Now, having tried everything from Bach Flower Remedies to time in a psychiatric hospital with no sign of improvement, she thought again about killing herself. She made detailed plans, but ‘I did feel enough of a sense of responsibility to the people who loved me not to go through with it. Whatever was going on with me, I had to wait it out. I had to find ways of passing the time until I was restored to myself again’. By chance, a friend was coming to visit who had a birthday coming up. Marian decided to make her a cake and something about the process of baking gave her comfort. ‘I need to tell you that #baking hasn’t “cured” me,’ she writes. ‘But it gets me through'". Recommended For: Sweet tooths, aspiring bakers and chefs, and those interested in the connection between baking and mental health In lieu of World Suicide Prevention Day, this video of a police officer reaching out to an individual who was dangling over a bridge railing and contemplating jumping, reminds us of how powerful and beneficial recognizing and reaching out to someone in need of emotional support and mental health services can be. As the International Association for Suicide Prevention has written on their website, "the act of showing care and concern to someone who may be vulnerable to suicide can be a game-changer. Asking them whether they are OK, listening to what they have to say in a non-judgmental way, and letting them know you care, can all have a significant impact. Isolation increases the risk of suicide, and, conversely, having strong social connections is protective against it, so being there for someone who has become disconnected can be life-saving." |
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Supporting and enhancing students' and health professionals' knowledge and understanding of mental health and psychiatry
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