LETTER

Mental health: a reality

 

Mental health issues follow us daily in a stressed out society. It is inevitable that at some point we succumb to psychological distress.

From the surge of suicide attempts in the First Nations community of Attawapiskat in Northern Ontario to the PTSD sufferers within the Canadian Armed Forces, to the terror attacks in Europe causing widespread panic, the effects of psychosomatic anguish have reached global proportions.

Today we are able to detect and respond quickly to these situations due to awareness campaigns, movements and support groups. It hasn’t always been the case.

As an employee of the Federal Public Service, I’m elated to learn that Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick is making mental health in the workplace a top priority. This is a major step towards healing a common problem. Mental wellness in the workplace is now a regular topic.

The goal of mental health strategies is to promote well-being and hope of regaining control of one’s life. These strategies include a commitment to reduce risks such as work demand, safety, bullying, harassment, manager-employee difficulties and stigma.

We live in a culture where emotional breakdowns are misunderstood and mental illness is often not referred to as an illness.

Some people afflicted will not cope. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, sufferers of diagnosed psychiatric disorders are 90 percent more likely to be victims of suicide. Other people with a mental illness will lead normal, productive lives. They will marry, have children, raise families, educate themselves, travel, and manage to successfully complete one day, and feel well enough to begin the next one.

I am very concerned by the troubled times we live in. Burnouts are on the rise, affecting our physical health. Conditions such as diabetes and shingles can be triggered by stress.  Just when it’s time to think of retirement, we may not get to enjoy it.

I encourage everyone to be mindful of one another, and to remember that life is more than just surviving. Take time for yourself to meditate in order to structure your thoughts. Summer’s beauty is on its way. Let the sun shine in and reflect it everywhere.

Jessé d’Eça
Aylmer