Tuesday, February 22, 2011

CAMH launches first Research Laboratory on wheels dedicated to mental health and addictions


For immediate release – February 22, 2011 – (Toronto) – Today, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is launching Canada’s first mobile research laboratory to study mental health and addictions in communities across Ontario. The mobile lab will allow CAMH researchers to reach underserved populations in rural, remote and First Nations communities to help improve prevention and treatment services in these communities, and beyond.
“The mobile research lab fills a gap by bringing world-class research by epidemiologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists and social scientists to communities that are far from research centres,” says Dr. Bruce G. Pollock, CAMH’s Vice-President of Research. “The results will be shared with local health and social service agencies, enabling them to improve service delivery.”
CAMH scientists will embark on the lab’s first research program this spring. Researchers are targeting Ontario communities that are less advantaged due to higher unemployment or poverty rates, among other factors. Among the series of studies planned, one line of research will tease out the complex interactions between a person’s genes and problems in the community, which may put people at risk for mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse and violence.
The lab will be used to conduct interviews and surveys, run focus groups, and take hair, saliva or blood samples to measure stress or obtain genetic information. This information will produce knowledge about communities that is often not available from large-scale telephone surveys. Over time, as information is gathered from across the province, CAMH researchers will create a powerful database that will advance our collective knowledge of mental illness, addictions and violence.
“The research lab is a major milestone of CAMH’s Research Renaissance Project, which is our largest ever scientific endeavour,” notes Dr. Pollock. “The lab reflects the project’s vision of working from the neuron to the neighbourhood level to advance our understanding, treatment and prevention of mental illness.”
The mobile research laboratory received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The first research program, Researching Health in Ontario Communities, was supported by a team grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
“‘This mobile research lab will have a real and positive impact on the Ontario communities who need it most,” said The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the CFI.
“CIHR is pleased to support this unique project that will facilitate a partnership between individuals in rural communities and a renowned team of health researchers at CAMH committed to improving brain health through innovative research," said Dr. Anthony Phillips, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. “We hope that the mobile research laboratory approach will increase our knowledge of mental health and addiction among rural and remote communities.”

Friday, February 18, 2011

Nipissing Family Art Therapy

Please join us on Tuesday March 8th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Due to the popularity of our last class, we will be doing some more painting!!
I will have water colour paper and paint available as well as canvas and acrylic paint.
Please feel free to bring any supplies you have at home and would like to share.


Please RSVP with April to reserve your supplies for the evening.
Hope to see you there!!

705 494 4774 x 226








Monday, February 14, 2011

Heroes of Mental Health

Mental illness is truly invisible, but that doesn’t make it any less real for those affected by it. These Canadian Mental Health Association staffers and volunteers dedicate their lives to helping people with mental illness recover their lives—and thrive.

Below you will find a text version of the 12-page CMHA focused article entitled “Heroes of Mental Health” that appears in the December 2010 issue of Reader’s Digest (on the shelves now).
These 12 pages are filled with various stories of CMHA volunteers who work tirelessly to help improve the life-quality and potential of Canadians living with mental illness -- volunteers for community projects, one-on-one mentors, organizers of larger events, etc. Most of these volunteers have also been personally affected by mental-health issues -- be it a parent, a child, a friend, or even the volunteer him/herself, living with, struggling with, striving to overcome the daily challenges of mental illness.

Volunteers highlighted include Drew Jacques and Chris Hill, CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming; Iman Grewal, CMHA Kitchener-Waterloo; Helen MacDonnell, CMHA, Moncton; Karen Murphy, CMHA, Ontario; Roy Muise, CMHA, Halifax; Steve Bournemann, CMHA, Haliax-Dartmouth, among others. A hearty thank you goes out to all those CMHA volunteers who took the time and effort to share their brave and precious stories with 6 million Reader’s Digest readers across this country!

ONE IN FIVE CANADIANS EXPERIENCES A MENTAL ILLNESS AT SOME POINT, AND MANY SUFFER IN SILENCE BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA.
For the full article, please pick up a December, 2010, issue of Reader's Digest which contains photos and additional information.
Drew Jacques, Chris Hill and others
New Liskeard, ONT.
By William Brown

Outside a Montreal metro station, a mentally ill man begs for change in the bitter January cold; barely a soul notices him, even after he freezes to death. That may seem shocking, but who among us hasn’t avoided the plaintive gaze of a stranger in need, or even dismissed a family member or friend who might need help? Perhaps the men and women celebrated in the following pages.
These people, and thousands like them, go the extra mile for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), a nationwide charitable organization. These heroes stop. They connect with those in need. They see beyond the stigma and misconceptions that plague the mentally ill.

How did they learn to see what many of us can’t or won’t? What makes them different? Here are their stories.
At first glance, mental­health support in New Liskeard, Ont., seems hard to come by: There are no full­time psychiatrists living in the community. While this lack of mental­health assistance is far from ideal, it has prompted the local CMHA to find other ways of providing support. “Our responsibility is to work with people to help them move from the dire consequences of significant mental illness to recovery, which means living life to the fullest of your ability,” says Drew Jacques, 52, team lead for mental­health services at the Cochrane­Timiskaming branch of the CMHA. “Along the way, we realized there’s value in activities other than just sitting in a room, talking.”
So Jacques, his staff and his team of volunteers did more than just talk: They created a variety of group programs and outings, all in the name of offering those who live with mental illness a safe place to gather, learn, cope and give back. Activities have included community­kitchen cooking classes, yoga and sessions that allow people to express themselves through art.
Chris Hill, 34, is among the many people who have helped to shape the branch’s activities. In addition to providing weekly counselling sessions, Hill, who played university hockey, takes clients to the gym or out for hikes. “There have been times in my life,” he says, “when I’ve gone through anxious episodes or bouts of depression, and exercise has helped me.” Hill noticed the same benefits, along with improved self­esteem, in his clients.
As a result of Hill’s success, and that of two other mental­health clinicians focusing on physical activity, the CMHA paid for the three of them to become certified personal trainers. Last year, the branch launched a pilot project, Active Recovery, adding physical fitness to the many therapeutic activities the organization al­ ready offers.
For a man such as Chris Gatenby, 39, devastated in 2007 by a failed marriage and the departure of his wife and kids, Active Recovery has been a road back from an uncertain future. “I had no way of dealing with the anger,” he says of those first few months alone. “I just kept it all in­side.” He worried about harming him­ self or others. Despite being legally blind, he started boxing and working out in a gym. This helped him channel his anger—but it was still there. One day he walked into the CMHA office in New Liskeard and asked for help. That’s when he met Hill, and his recovery began in earnest. “I’m calmer nowadays, more patient, and I’m kinder to people,” Gatenby says.
His children have since returned to the region, and he is part of their lives again. Gatenby has also found fulfillment by giving back to the CMHA branch that gave him so much. He sits on two committees and helps Hill lead exercise sessions. “It’s awesome,” says Gatenby. “People are changing—becoming stronger, more social—because of me helping them.”
For team lead Jacques, Gatenby’s experience is a great example of the office’s broader goal: to help those with mental­health problems help one another. “People who may have started as clients are now supporting each other after­hours,” Jacques says. “We actually have doctors phoning us, commenting on the good work we’re doing, saying, ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it, because you’re having a tremendous positive impact.’”
• Reprinted with permission from the December 2010 issue of Reader’s Digest magazine. Copyright (c) 2010 by Reader’s Magazines Canada Limited.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Send a Valentine e-card from NAMI and honor your Valentine by providing help, hope and support to individuals and families affected by mental illness.



When you give to NAMI, we will send an e-card to your Valentine celebrating your support.


Include your name and a personal message on your e-card or, if you like, send it as a secret admirer!

Order your card at: http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=Donate&template=/customsource/Donation/GeneralForm.cfm&Type=VAL&lstid=1008

Monday, February 7, 2011

BELL supports Mental Health Awareness!! Lets Talk, February 9th...

Bell Aliant, a sister company of BCE will be joining Bell in promoting Mental Health Awareness Day by participating in the Bell Let’s Talk Campaign.


The Bell Let’s Talk Campaign is a newly launched annual initiative at promoting Mental Health awareness and the effects it has in Canada’s home, workplace and school. Very often a lot of people don’t want like to talk about mental health even though it affects 1 in 5 Canadians. In fact, according to a poll completed by the Canadian Mental Health Association, only 50% of Canadians would tell someone else if they had a mental illness whereas 70% would tell another person if they were diagnosed with Cancer.

Bell hopes to promote the awareness of Mental Health by starting a conversation through its newest charitable campaign.

On February 9, 2011, Bell will donate 5 cents for every long distance call and text messages its customers make on that day to support mental health related programs across the country. It is part of a $50 million initiative Bell has for the mental health community over the next 5 years.



~ Beating the Winter Blues ~
....don't forget your self care!!

Winter got you feeling down? You're not alone. Many people find the winter to be one of the most difficult times of the year and it's no wonder why. First, it's cold, there are few hours of daylight and keeping a busy schedule, or shuffling kids to and from activities can really get you stressed, or depressed. Getting over the winter time blues isn't always easy but with these tips you may find yourself getting back to normal in no time. You can beat the winter time blues and kick that grumpy, irritable self to the curb.

People get depressed for all sorts of reasons and it doesn't always have a quick fix. But, you can make yourself feel better, now. Think about the things that make you happy, good memories that you have, and of the people you love and whom love you back. That's a good start; you're just getting warmed up right now. When I'm feeling a bit run down or grouchy I try to set aside an hour or two for volunteering in the community. Giving back always makes me feel good and I can't help but smile as I think of the people I am helping. Plenty of organizations can use volunteers on a daily basis. Whenever you're starting to get the droopy feelings go down to your church, local animal shelter, or hospital to see if you can volunteer or help out in some way.
 The most important thing you have to remember is not to pack your schedule to the brim. Leave time for yourself and the important things in life. If you over schedule yourself you will not enjoy any of the activities in your day and end up depressed. Remember, if you are the jack of all trades you are the master of none. It may be hard to say no at first, but be strong for yourself and the ones who love you. Don't feel bad about not volunteering on the PTA this year, or not staying that extra hour at work. Instead, use that time to freshen up, take a nap, or do whatever it is you do to recharge.
 Trust me, you will feel much better once you start making time for yourself. If I am rushing around, taking care of other people all day and forgetting about myself, I wind up angry and short tempered. When that happens I just take a deep breath, close my eyes for a second, and then exhale. In my mind I always say to myself, "the task at hand is never more important than I am". That usually gets me feeling better so I can go on with the day. But, this example just shows the importance of scheduling me time.



I do lots of things during me time, it's not always volunteering. A great thing I figured out was to call up some friends for a lunch or dinner date or even just for tea. I always feel better after talking to friends about something that is bothering me. It's almost as a weight has been lifted off my body and I feel lighter as I head to my car and home. Winding down the day with a good book or a hot bath is also relaxing and can make you feel better.

For those times when I'm feeling really tired and exhausted like I head out for a walk or to the pool. Exercise always seems to help get rid of those feelings of fatigue. Using the pool at the YMCA always relaxes me and gets my heart pumping as well. After a nice swim I feel wide awake and my appetite seems to increase. Sometimes a little bit of activity can get you up and going all day.
 Besides doing the obvious you also should do what might not seem so apparent. It's really important to get plenty of sleep and for most of us it seems that is the hardest part to master. We've all heard the statement "early to bed, early to rise make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". Well, in part it is true. As winter progresses and daylight hours dwindle it is more important that ever to get good nights sleep. Because the sun goes down sooner and comes up earlier you should too. The more sun you see the better you feel.
 If you're spending all day indoors under artificial lighting, go outside and get some sun. Sun helps our bodies' process vitamin D3 which in turn makes you feel better. Just a couple of minutes of direct sunlight are enough for one day. If you want to feel better sooner you should also try a balanced diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, eat less red meat and pork, and of course drink plenty of water. The right foods will make you feel good from the inside out. If you can't eat right take vitamins. B and C vitamins will keep you from getting sick and give you plenty of energy.

So, if you start feeling stressed or frazzled keep these tips in mind as they may help get you out of a slump. You can beat the winter time blues by focusing on what's important in life; yourself, those that love you, and others that need your help. Remember to schedule me time every day and you will start feeling better right away!


~April


Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Did you know??

"Creating colors, effects, and artistic self-expression relieves stuffed emotions, giving expression where words cannot. Watercolor painting can bring freedom, order, and clarity to our inner thoughts and emotions. Art comes from our own unique experiences and responses to people, places, and things. This is what is so therapeutic about not just looking at art, but creating art. Art is an extremely personal experience, whether releasing emotional trauma, or creating something new, it's something beautiful to focus on and enjoy." Marilee Donivan


Our second Art Therapy class was a hit! Thank you to those of you who came to make it the experience it was. It is always great to see you all. I left feeling relaxed yet energized at the same time and I am really looking forward to our next class together. 

Hope to see you at our class in March.  More details to follow...

~April