Life Unscripted - Stories of Mental Health and Addiction

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When Valery Brosseau was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and borderline personality disorder in her early 20s it didn’t take long for her to realize that talking openly about her illness was healing for her and helped reduce stigma so other people could be open themselves. 

Valery decided she want to devote her career to not only helping people who are living with mental illness but also working with businesses and other organizations to understand mental illness, how it affects their employees and how to create an open and stigma free workplace.

In November, Valery is launching her new company – Validate Mental Health - where she is partnering with people with different experiences and approaches to mental wellness.

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Young caregivers are an invisible and little known support for family members who need day to day help for basic needs. They provide personal care like grooming, helping with medication, getting dressed and feeding. 

But a growing number of children, as young as five and up to the age of 25, are taking on more responsibility for their siblings and parents because of situations like chronic illness, physical and intellectual disabilities, mental health and substance use.  

It’s estimated that 1 and a quarter Canadians between the age of 15 and 25 are caring for a family member.

 They’re under a tremendous amount of stress and often don’t have an outlet.

Young Caregivers is an organization dedicated to supporting these young people and their families

Chrissy Sadowski is Interim Executive Director.

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There’s a special new dog in town!  His name is Zane and he’s a mental health facility support dog at Pathstone Mental Health. That sounds a bit formal and it’s easier to think of Zane as a cuddly assistant.

Zane was specially trained by the Lion’s Foundation of Canada Dog Guides to assist children who are in therapy or for their mental health at professional agencies, like Pathstone.  He provides a non-judgmental and calming influence to reassure kids experiencing a stressful situation.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Zane with therapist Jennifer Forstinger. He’s a lovely standard poodle who knows exactly when to play and when he’s at work.

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September is Suicide Awareness Month.

Every year, approximately 4,500 people in Canada die by suicide, that equals 12 people dying by suicide every day. 

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in young people aged 15 to 24.

More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide each day.

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. 

Stacy Terry from the Distress Centre of Niagara is on the show today to talk about how to recognize of the signs a person is contemplating suicide, how to talk about it and resources available, including the new Canada wide 988 suicide crisis helpline

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Ontario Health minister Silvia Jones made a surprise announcement at the Association of Municiplaties of Ontario's  annual conference in mid-August that no one expected – the closing of 10 supervised drug consumption sites across the province - 5 in Toronto and one in Hamilton, Guelph, Kitchener, Thunder Bay and Ottawa.  

Supervised consumption sites are a big part of harm reduction strategies, offering place where people can use drugs in a safe environment.  While the St. Catharines site is staying open Talia Storm  from Positive Living Niagara’s Streetworks program says staff are reeling from the announcement….simply put, she’s says more people are going to die in the cities losing their sites.

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P-a-R-X is an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation that started about 3 years ago with the idea of medical professionals – like doctors, nurse practioners, dentists and pharmacist - prescribing time in nature for their patients.  This unique idea was developed by health-care professionals who want to improve their patients’ health by connecting them to nature. 

Dr. Melissa Lem is a driving force behind PaRX.

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We’ve reached the stage where people are starting to acknowledge cell phone addiction is real. The issue is critical to childrens mental health and their ability to learn. It also means our kids are not getting outside, playing in the dirt and rolling in the grass. Bienenstock playgrounds builds play areas using natural elements like trees, rocks and earth that connect kids to nature.  

https://bienstockplaygounds.com

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The Ontario government has announced a new policy banning the use of cell phones in classrooms.  The question is what will this new policy achieve?  Erin Clayton, who is the Director of Quality Assurance, Research and Planning at Pathstone Mental Health, talks about the policy and the mental health impact on children of constant cell phone use. Pathstone has programs to help parents and their kids put their phone down. 
https://pathstonementalhealth.ca.

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Niagara Regional housing has put together a 10 poinr plan to reduce homelessness and, importantly, provide some space and programs for people living rough.  A temporary 24-hour a temporary shelter has opended where people have their own room, 3 meals a day and a large recreational area.

The recommendations came from a committee that included people with lived experience with homelessness and/or substance use.  

Marni Katzman is on the show to talk about the plan and the interest from municipalties across the province.

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When people see someone who is homeless they probably think it could never happen to them. But at some point in time a person living rough and in a shelter did have a home. They may have had a family, friends and a good job. There are so many reasons why people end up living rough – job loss, mental health, trauma or substance use. In Marni Katzman’s case, she was addicted to alcohol, and despite a few stints in rehab she wasn’t able to stop drinking vodka. Finally, her family had to make the hard decision to show some tough love. Marni walked into a shelter wearing pink Uggs and pulling a designer suitcase.