A non-profit mental health and substance use organization
The word bipolar means ‘two extremes.’ For the many millions experiencing bipolar disorder around the world, life is split between two different realities: elation and depression. So what causes this disorder? And can it be treated? Helen M. Farrell describes the root causes and treatments for bipolar disorder.
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Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event.
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Emotional and Psychological Trauma
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of Canadians and there is concern that this could cause an echo pandemic of mental health. CMHA outlines how we can work to avoid this.
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An echo pandemic of mental health issues? Not if we can help it. – CMHA National
We hear about it on the news. We see it in poll after poll. And we see it in our own lives. It is COVID-19’s toll on the mental health of Canadians. There is no debate that the pandemic has worn us down, and that an echo pandemic of mental health issues may be looming.
Ḡunʼdux̄ Megan Metz (Haisla Nation) is a champion for youth mental health and wellness. The 21-year-old from Kitamaat Village draws on Haisla teachings as well as mainstream learnings to take on a variety of responsibilities in her community, the province, and the country.
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Good Medicine: Wellness Champion Megan Metz draws on Haisla culture to support youth mental health and wellness
Ḡ unʼdu x ̄ Megan Metz (Haisla Nation) is a champion for youth mental health and wellness. The 21-year-old from Kitamaat Village draws on Haisla teachings as well as mainstream learnings to take on a variety of responsibilities in her community, the province, and the country.
When stress got to be too much for TED Fellow Sangu Delle, he had to confront his own deep prejudice: that men shouldn’t take care of their mental health. In a personal talk, Delle shares how he learned to handle anxiety in a society that’s uncomfortable with emotions. As he says: “Being honest about how we feel doesn’t make us weak — it makes us human.”
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“Some women are pursuing rushed alternative birth plans, including home delivery, because they fear COVID-19 infection and the associated psychological conditions on maternity wards. This places many women at higher risk of obstetric complications already known to be associated with home births3 and additional risks if the 911 response is delayed and emergency departments overwhelmed. Women should be discouraged from making anxiety-driven changes to their obstetric care team and delivery setting based solely on pandemic-related fears.”
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Meeting Maternal Mental Health Needs During COVID-19
The CMHA “Mental Health Meter” is a great tool to begin understanding the characteristics that make up good mental health. Some areas this self-test covers are: ability to enjoy life, resilience, balance, self-actualization and flexibility.
Click the link below to take the test.
Mental Health Meter – CMHA National
Characteristics of Mental Health Understanding the characteristics that make up good mental health will help you determine how mentally fit you are. Here are some real-life examples: Ability to enjoy life You’ve just become engaged. You join your friends and family in celebrating the future you are planning with your partner.
“In the past, many mental health professionals found it difficult to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), so they came to the conclusion that there was little to be done. But we now know that BPD is treatable. In fact, the long-term prognosis for BPD is better than those for depression and bipolar disorder. However, it requires a specialized approach.”
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Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
If you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you probably feel like you’re on a rollercoaster-and not just because of your unstable emotions or relationships, but also the wavering sense of who you are. Your self-image, goals, and even your likes and dislikes may change frequently in ways that feel confusing and unclear.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues
When you have both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, it is called a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis.
Navigating Schizophrenia in College
Herein, I wish to accomplish 2 primary objectives: (1) to detail my own personal battle with and continued recovery from schizophrenia and (2) to provide an analysis of how college students who are diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder can recover from their initial psychotic break and not only return to college but succeed in college as well.