Mental Health
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Combating Seasonal Affective Disorder
This time of year, many Canadians find themselves grappling with a unique kind of seasonal challenge: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This form of depression, triggered by the changing seasons, is particularly prevalent during the late fall and winter months. Understanding SAD and its impact is crucial in finding effective ways to manage it, ensuring that the winter season can be a time of joy and peace rather than struggle. SAD is more than just the “winter blues.” It’s a clinically recognized form of depression that occurs at a specific time of year, usually starting in the late fall and early winter and subsiding during the spring and summer. Symptoms can…
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Managing Holiday Stress and Depression
The first step to coping with holiday stress, anxiety, or depression is to acknowledge your feelings. It’s perfectly okay not to feel okay. Bottling up emotions can often intensify feelings of stress or sadness. If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one during the holidays, remember that it’s a natural response. Grief is personal, and you’re not alone—many others are navigating similar feelings. Recognizing and validating your emotions is a critical part of the healing process. Holidays often bring families together, which can sometimes lead to tension or conflict. If family dynamics are adding to your stress, try to minimize negative interactions. Save sensitive conversations for another time, and…
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Men’s Mental Health
There have been many discussions surrounding mental health, mental illness, and the need for increased awareness. However, as many as 40% of men will avoid discussions about their mental health. In Canada alone, 75% of all suicides are men. Globally, a man will die from suicide every minute. As for why men won’t talk about mental health, the reasons vary. Some want to try to deal with it on their own, they don’t want to be a burden on anyone else, while others say they’re simply too embarrassed and afraid to admit they need the help. In addition, there’s also the negative stigma that still surrounds mental illness to this…
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National Addictions Awareness Week
National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) serves as a pivotal opportunity for Canadians to come together and address the complex and far-reaching impacts of alcohol and other drug-related harms. With its roots in raising awareness and fostering dialogue, this annual event encourages individuals, communities, and organizations across the country to learn more about the critical importance of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. By engaging in meaningful conversations and sharing diverse perspectives, NAAW not only shines a spotlight on the challenges associated with substance use but also highlights innovative solutions that can drive positive change at both individual and societal levels. This year’s theme, Forging Connections, underscores the vital role that…
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Navigating Grief
Grief is a universal human experience, a complex emotional response to loss that touches every facet of our lives. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, the ending of a cherished relationship, or even the departure of an integral part of our identity, grief can challenge us in ways we never imagined. It forces us to confront the reality of life without what or who we have lost, leaving a profound void that can seem impossible to fill. This article aims to explore the intricate ways in which grief impacts people. We will examine both its psychological and physiological effects and delve into healthy ways to navigate through…
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Reducing Stress for a Stronger Heart
As many as 75% of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 report that they are living with some level of stress in their lives, therefore making it one of the biggest threats to our health and wellbeing. Stress can not only lead to further problems with mental health, such as depression and anxiety, but it can also have an impact on personal relationships as well as productivity at work or in school. Research has also shown that excessive or chronic stress can be just as bad for your heart health as having an unhealthy diet and being physically inactive. For example, this research showed that there was an…
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The Benefits of Meditation for Mental Health
In today’s fast-paced world, the pressures of daily life can often feel overwhelming. With the constant demands of work, relationships, and personal responsibilities, many people experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety. While modern medicine offers various treatments for these mental health issues, there has been a growing recognition of the value of alternative and complementary therapies, such as meditation. More than just a trendy wellness practice, meditation has deep roots in many ancient cultures, and its benefits for mental health, particularly in alleviating anxiety, are increasingly supported by scientific research. The practice of meditation offers a sanctuary of calm amidst the chaos of life, allowing individuals to reconnect with…
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International Overdose Awareness Day 2024
Every year on August 31, communities around the world come together to observe International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), the largest annual campaign dedicated to ending overdose, remembering those who have lost their lives to this epidemic without stigma, and acknowledging the profound grief experienced by the family and friends left behind. The theme for IOAD 2024, “Together we can,” underscores the tremendous power of community when everyone stands united in the face of this ongoing public health crisis. The opioid overdose epidemic has had a devastating impact in Canada, with a staggering 5,975 lives lost in 2023 alone. Tragically, around 30 percent of these deaths occurred among individuals aged 30…
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Overcoming Mental Fatigue
When it comes to overexerting yourself, both the body and mind can be affected. According to psychologists, we all have limits when it comes to our cognition, and when we take on more than what we can handle that can ultimately result in mental fatigue – also known as exhaustion. In fact, it’s one of the reasons why we’re seeing more and more athletes and celebrities being hospitalized, because their scheduled are either too jam packed or they’ve taken on more than their bodies allow. To avoid mental fatigue, it’s important that you not overcommit yourself to things. If you’re being pulled in a million different directions, you’re going to…
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Stress and its Impact on Our Skin
If you’ve noticed recent acne breakouts or other abnormalities with the skin on your face (such as increased redness, psoriasis or eczema) that you don’t normally experience, there is a strong possibility that those breakouts could actually be caused by stress. This is because when you are stressed, two specific hormones known as cortisol and adrenaline increase, causing inflammation as well as contributing to the aggravation of many of the aforementioned skin conditions – in addition to decreased elasticity of the skin and an increase in lines and wrinkles. In general, stress can wreak havoc on the body, but there are certain things you can do to find relief and…
