What is Mental Health?

 

Mental Health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague. In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. It affects people of all ages, educational and income levels, and cultures. For more information about Mental Health and types of Mental Illness, please click on the photo below (Life on the Line: 10 Artists Spread Mental Health Awareness Across Toronto’s Subway, November 2020):

 

Myths about Mental Illness:

 

To read about common myths and misconceptions about Mental Illness, please click on the "Stomp out Stigma" photo below: 

 

 

Depression:
 

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression

Men’s Mental Health:

 

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, "It’s being called a silent crisis, a sleeper issue. But there are signs that this sleeper is at last awakening. Around the world studies, surveys, web networks, journals and newspaper articles are shedding light on a shadowy subject: men’s mental health." For more up to date information on men's mental health, barriers to seeking help, men and depression, moving forward and to access a comprehensive list of resources,  please click the photo below:

 

Suicide:

 

There are many circumstances which can contribute to someone’s decision to end his/her life, but a person’s feelings about those circumstances are more important than the circumstances themselves. All people who consider suicide feel that life is unbearable. They have an extreme sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and desperation. With some types of mental illness, people may hear voices or have delusions which prompt them to kill themselves. For more information on suicide click the photo below:

 

 

For resources and information on coping with a friend's suicide, please click the photo below:

 

 

 

Men and Suicide: What's Going On? 

 

It's a paradox: men have low rates of depression compared to women, yet they are four times more likely to die by suicide. So what's going on? The Royal's Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Dr. Rajiv Bhatla, takes us on an interactive exploration of the critical mental health issues facing men, including the silent epidemic of male suicide. He discusses the stereotypes that influence how men's health is perceived and dealt with; the real story that depression and suicide data can tell us about men's mental health; and what can be done about it:

 

 

Resources:

 

HEADSUPGUYS is a great resource for men, about men. Click the photo below for more information: