Day 5 - Mental Health Week

For my Mental Health Week Day 5 post I am going to bring the attention to things that are working and the resources available within my community. For those of my friends in other communities, your local mental health office can get you pointed in the right direction.

Yesterday I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the City of Lloydminster's Pathway to Mental Health conference. Much thanks to Patrick Lancaster and his team at FCSS Lloydminster. It was a day filled with information about community resources and mental health. It was a great mix of community members involved with delivering mental health services as well as professional speakers opening my eyes to a new spin on mental health. Although I am a strong advocate for additional funding for mental health and addictions, Lloydminster does have a strong foundation of supportive programs and services within the community. There remains a lot of work yet on ending the stigma towards mental health and addictions here but services we do have.

The highlight of my morning was a presentation by Allan Kehler, author of "Out of the Shadows." His engaging presentation, humor and group participation shed a lot of light on mental health and addictions within our communities, our workplaces and our homes. Allan opened my eyes to many facts, reiterating the fact that I do not know everything. lol. His message of hope and empowerment reminded me to take the time to look at myself and the journey that I have had so far as well. Often I feel that I not progressing fast enough and that I am not as far along as I should be. As Allan points out, I am just as far along as I am and that recovery is process such as life. It was refreshing to hear that his journey has been a long one as well and it continues even today. It really made me consider whether or not I am missing the best parts by being so focused on my recovery that I am not even allowing myself the opportunity to enjoy it. Well I really enjoyed myself yesterday morning. If you ever get the chance to see Allan speak I highly recommend it.

I had mentioned to someone after Allan's presentation that it was going to be a tough act to follow. Well Ariel Haubrich was certainly up to the challenge and her presentation in the afternoon was nothing short of spectacular. Ariel's explanation of our mental process shed a lot of light on how our brain works to protect ourselves and how that impacts our thoughts, emotions and behaviors. It really was an eye opener. I already understood a lot of the material but the way she presented it made everything that much clearer and understandable. The impact that trauma and stress has on our minds and bodies is unquestionable. It is so important that we pay attention to this and take steps to manage this stress and address unresolved issues. Sleep is the key ingredient to recovery, lower stress and overall health. I do get 8 hours a day now but I am quite sure that my lifetime average remains below 4 hours a night. I have a lot of catching up to do. At least I know I am on the right track now. Ariel is from Wainwright and if you ever get the opportunity to hear her speak, she is well worth your time.

So to sum up the week, there are a few things that we can all do to promote better mental health and support those still struggling.

1) Self-care - Be sure that you are taking care of yourself first. Get enough sleep, take time out for yourself, exercise, mindfulness, do whatever you have to do to keep yourself mentally healthy.

2) Ask for help - If you are struggling and need support, help is available. There are people that care. There are people you can trust to talk openly and that will listen objectively. Reach out to these people and get the support you need and deserve. Know that I am always here to listen. I know pain, I know fear but I also know recovery. As Ariel pointed out in her presentation, people are personally rewarded by helping others. Helping promotes the helper's mental health as well. Don't decline them this opportunity.

2) Listen - God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Remember that you have no clue what someone has gone through and know that it is likely very difficult for them to open up about their issues and outright ask for help. Listen for cues and respond with support rather than advice. Offer to help rather than tell them what they should be doing.

4) Pay attention - As mentioned, it is very difficult for someone struggling to ask for help. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction issues compounded by trust issues of the individual, asking for help is not going to be easy. Notice the warning signs and don't ignore them. Offer an olive branch and show that you care. Acknowledgement goes farther than you think.

5) Non-judgment - You can never understand what another person has gone through. You can never know what they are feeling or how an event has impacted them emotionally. Every person will react in their own way to everything and this does not have to make sense to you. For someone that is struggling, the fear of judgment often keeps them withdrawn and resistant to asking for help. For many, past experiences have precipitated this fear. The stigma surrounding mental health and addiction is real and it is prevalent in many of our communities. Very few people see the person in pain in the junkie or homeless person on the street. It does not even cross most people's minds that they are someone's Mom, Dad, Son or Daughter. We often do not even consider that something drastic happened to that person to get them to this point. Instead we assess blame and say that it was their choice. We do this to give ourselves permission to not be compassionate. If it is their choice to become an addict, then why should I care about them. Addiction, homelessness, mental health issues are not a choice. Your treatment of these people is a choice. Your choice.

So this is my message. Be kind to each other. Be kind to yourself. Remember that you have two ears, two eyes and only one mouth. Listen and observe. Improved mental health for all is something we should strive for as a community. To do that we all must stick together, yes even those that you refuse to acknowledge. If you really don't want to see them on the street corner on your way to work, try supporting them. This will go a lot further than ignoring them. Without support they are not going anywhere other than to the grave.