Navigating Panic Disorder: Understanding, Coping and Supporting

Navigating Panic Disorder:  Understanding, Coping and Supporting


We regularly encounter stressful and challenging situations that can heighten our anxiety or fear. But sometimes, an experience can be particularly overwhelming, and our bodies react instinctively with a physical and emotional intensity that kickstarts our fight-or-flight response. Because of intrusive thoughts, it’s suddenly hard to breathe; we feel our heart racing or that we’re having chest pains and start sweating. Detached from our surroundings, while consumed by racing thoughts and a sense of impending doom, we feel like we’ve lost control. Panic attacks are highly distressing and disruptive.

When panic attacks begin to occur repeatedly, however, the person experiencing them might start to be consumed with worry about the potential and unpredictable nature of future episodes, so much so that the fear of that possibility begins to affect their behaviour and lifestyle significantly. This is known as panic disorder. In these situations, where a pattern of recurring panic attacks develops, it is essential to seek professional help.

In this article, we’ll look at the concept of a panic attack versus panic disorder. Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will have panic disorder, but those with panic disorder will often experience repeated panic attacks. Panic attacks can occur with any anxiety disorder as well as other mental disorders (e.g., PTSD, substance use disorders, depressive disorders) and some medical conditions (e.g., cardiac, gastrointestinal, respiratory, vestibular). We’ll explore the relationship with agoraphobia, discuss some treatment options and coping strategies that can help support someone with greater empathy and understanding. From there, we’ll also address how veterans can be at increased risk of developing panic disorder and share resources that are essential to creating a supportive environment and helping to destigmatize mental health concerns.

What is panic disorder?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), panic disorder can be diagnosed when someone frequently experiences recurring and unexpected panic attacks and is persistently worried about having more panic attacks or changes their behaviour in maladaptive ways because of the panic attacks (e.g., avoidance of exercise or of unfamiliar locations). (1) Panic disorder is not the same as an anxiety or a panic attack, though both can be elements of this type of mental health condition.

Anxiety Panic Attack Panic Disorder
Feeling uneasy A sudden, intense surge of fear   Repeated, unexpected, and unpredictable panic attacks.
Constant worry about having future panic attacks can heighten anxiety.
Intense and overwhelming feeling of losing control.Persistent fear that something terrible will happen during a panic attack.
Example: You might feel anxious before taking a test or making an important decision. Example: You might experience a panic attack if you are afraid of heights and go on a Ferris wheel. Example: You might be experiencing panic disorder if, during a panic attack, you feel intense physical and emotional symptoms. Your pulse might start pounding so intensely that you begin to think you are having a heart attack. It could lead to waves of successive or simultaneous panic attacks where you start to feel short of breath and dizzy or begin to sweat and have abdominal pain.   You may be unable to determine the cause of your panic attacks because no obvious danger could have triggered them.   You will often start to worry about when the next attack will happen. There could be more today, this week, or this month.
 

Panic disorder can make daily life challenging and can affect a person’s comfort with social interaction. They may prefer to stay within what they determine to be a safer environment where they are close to exits and have ways to escape a situation if a panic attack does happen. There may be a lot of pre-planning for outings, so they feel prepared by having medication or trusted friends and family members nearby.  What someone with panic disorder is experiencing is real and should never be thought of as an overreaction.

It’s important to note that not everyone who has experienced anxiety or had a panic attack will go on to develop panic disorder. It’s estimated that:

  • While up to 1/3 of Canadian adults may have a panic attack, about 4% of them will experience panic disorder in their lifetime (2)

  • Up to 11% of people in the US experience a panic attack (3)

  • Approximately 2-3% of them have panic disorder (4)

  • Onset often occurs in the late teens and early twenties (5)

  • It often affects women more than men (6)

Signs and Symptoms

Panic attacks can vary in their abrupt peak of intense fear or intense discomfort and peak in intensity within a few minutes. (7) People can experience physical symptoms like:

  • Racing heart
  • Shortness of breath
  • Trembling
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness
  • Sweating

Emotionally, someone may feel intense fear, impending doom or like they have lost control. It’s important to note that for the person going through a panic attack, their perception of time can be distorted, making the experience feel much longer.

With panic disorder, frequency, intensity, and duration help determine different degrees and classifications of symptoms: (8)

Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4
A single panic attack. Frequent panic attacks (without depression). Regular and recurring attacks with the gradual development of additional symptoms such as anticipatory anxiety, general anxiety, or agoraphobia. Recurring panic attacks with additional symptoms, including depression.

The Relationship with Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is intense anxiety because of thoughts about being in situations or places where it can be difficult to leave or get help. The spaces are usually either open “such as parking lots, marketplaces, bridges) or enclosed, “such as tunnels, small rooms and elevators,” as well as “supermarkets, shopping malls and other crowded places,” including public transportation and unfamiliar environments. (9) People experiencing agoraphobia can feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed as the worry that they may experience a panic attack overwhelms them. In some cases, someone experiencing panic disorder with agoraphobia “may not be able to leave the house.” (10) While symptoms of agoraphobia can exist without experiencing a panic attack, with panic disorder, there is no apparent reason for the agoraphobia to be present.

Veterans and Panic Disorder

Veterans can be at increased risk of developing panic disorder and substance use disorder due to the nature of their roles and exposure to combat, traumatic experiences and heightened general stress they experience during deployment. Programs like the Guardians Program, https://homewoodhealthcentre.com/treatment-programs/guardians-program/, at the Homewood Health Centre can offer specialized mental health support for veterans.

Treatment Options

There are a few treatment approaches that are effective to help with panic disorder. Working with a doctor is the best place to start, as they can help you understand what might work well and consider combinations that could provide relief more rapidly.

Psychotherapy Medication Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Helps identify symptoms and triggers, plus develop ways to cope and change behaviours.   Exposure Therapy Helps address associations between fears and bad outcomes to help manage anxious feelings. Depending on which medications your doctor might recommend, relief can happen within a few weeks. Some medicines may take longer to see improvements. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects and work to find a medication that works. Art therapy Breath training   Both types of treatment can be helpful. Because they help reduce stress, plus develop calm and healthy mindfulness and self-regulation techniques when you practice them.   Sometimes, these methods are easier for people to use to help them complete any ‘homework’ from psychotherapy treatment.

Coping Strategies

Meditation and lifestyle choices such as prioritizing better sleep, regular exercise, a balanced diet and limiting alcohol intake, plus maintaining social connections, are always good ways to cope with life’s stressful situations. Some specific techniques can be helpful to try when experiencing anxiety or panic attacks:

  • Breathing and relaxation techniques can help regulate the body’s stress response by introducing a rhythm that helps calm our automatic nervous system responses and reduce anxiety.
  • The 555 breathing technique involves inhaling for a count of 5, holding the breath for a count of 5 and then exhaling for a count of 5.
  • Box breathing is similar in that it involves inhaling for a specific count, holding the breath for the exact count, and exhaling for the same count. With box breathing, you add a counted pause before starting the cycle. Practitioners sometimes suggest envisioning a box shape to complete the technique.
  • Mindfulness practices that help focus on sensory awareness and offer grounding can also help during a panic attack and promote overall well-being. These exercises can help shift attention away from anxious thoughts.
  • The 333 sensory awareness technique involves identifying and acknowledging three things you can see, three things you can hear, and three things you can touch in your immediate surroundings.
  • The 54321 technique is similar but includes even more sensory awareness. You focus on naming five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

 How to Support Someone During a Panic Attack

  1.  Understand the nature of a panic attack and remember you are there to support someone experiencing one.
  2. Remain calm and provide reassurance, emphasizing that the panicked feelings will pass. Talk using short sentences.
  3. Encourage the person to use coping strategies that they may have learned in therapy or that you are aware of, like mindful breathing and grounding techniques. Even simply helping them count slowly aloud to ten can help slow their heart rate and make them more responsive.

Developing awareness and understanding of panic disorder is crucial to fostering compassion, being supportive and eliminating stigma around mental health. Knowing some signs and symptoms can help all of us create a better sense living in a supportive community.

References:

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Anxiety disorders. Retrieved January 12, 2024 from Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

2. Canadian Mental Health Association – British Columbia Division (n.d.). Panic Disorder. CMHC BC. Retrieved January 1, 2024 from https://bc.cmha.ca/documents/panic-disorder-2/

3. Cleveland Clinic (medically reviewed) (2023 Feb 12). Panic Attacks & Panic Disorder. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 1, 2024 from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/445…

4. Ibid.

5. Burke D., and Collins D. (medically reviewed) (2022 Feb 23). A guide to Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder. healthline. Retrieved January 1, 2024 from https://www.healthline.com/health/panic-disorder

6. Ibid.

7. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Anxiety disorders. Retrieved January 12, 2024 from Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

8. Takeuchi, T. et al. (2022 March). Four clinical types of panic disorders – Abstract. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved January 1, 2024 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1635333/#:~:text=T…

9. Antony, M. Ph.D. (2002). Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Retrieved January 1, 2024 from https://www.stjoes.ca/health-services/mental-healt…

10. Ibid.

 


Good Food, Good Mood: The Link Between Nutrition and Mental Health

Good Food, Good Mood: The Link Between Nutrition and Mental Health


Our brains are hungry. In fact, brain cells are by far the hungriest cells in our bodies. They make up only 2% of our body weight, but use about 20% of the food energy we take in. And that energy goes toward our mental health as much as our physical health.

Many of us have experienced the close link between nutrition and mental health when we get “hangry,” that hunger-fueled mix of anger and irritability that consumes us when we skip a meal or forget to pack a snack.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, nutrition has a crucial role to play in protecting and improving our mental health, or even helping us manage a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, or trauma.

For the past five years, Marianne Bloudoff, BSc, a registered dietitian, has made nutrition and mental health the focus of her work at Homewood Ravensview, a private mental health and addiction treatment centre on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

“A well-nourished brain is more focused, better able to handle stressors, and ensures a more stable mood,” Bloudoff explained. “You need those building blocks to create a foundation for the recovery journey.”

In this article, she explains the link between nutrition and mental health, and shares some of her tips for using nutrition to support better mental health.

From good food to good mood

Food components help the body create neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin (the so-called “happy hormones”), which alleviate anxiety and depression and boost mental health.

These neurotransmitters are sensitive to food intake, so changes in our eating patterns can have effects on behavior, sleep, and energy levels. The way we eat can also improve the effectiveness of medications, including antidepressants.

The food we eat can also help our mental health by ensuring that we build a healthy microbiome. This is what we call the 100 trillion bacteria—some helpful, some harmful—that can be found in the gut. When we eat probiotics and fermented foods that contain healthy bacteria (yogurt and kimchi are two examples), we can create a healthier, more resilient microbiome. This, in turn, creates a healthy feedback loop between our bodies and minds. Good food produces a good mood, and that in turn reduces the stress that can disrupt our digestive processes and prevent our gut from absorbing and metabolizing nutrients. As an interesting example of this phenomenon, Bloudoff pointed out that 26% of people with anxiety disorders have a digestive condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Simplifying good nutrition for mental health

Mental health can complicate nutrition. When people are depressed, they may not have an appetite or the energy to source and prepare healthy foods. ADHD can make it difficult to plan, shop for, or prepare meals. Substance abuse can add another layer of difficulty to the issue.

But that doesn’t mean good nutrition has to be complicated. In fact, Bloudoff tries to make it as simple as possible for her patients to eat nutritious diets by making sure her recommendations take into account their unique needs and lifestyle.

“Every patient is different, so it’s about finding what works for the person,” she explained. “What is their reality? What kind of food can they afford? What do they have access to? What’s culturally appropriate for them? What do they like? Are they feeding just themselves or a whole family? Do they have allergies? What do they know how to prepare? One person might live in a big city close to a supermarket. Another might live in a rural area where they fish or hunt.”

By taking into account the individual’s broader context, including their background, geography, culture, family status, strengths and capabilities, community support, and more, she can ensure the foods she recommends to her patients will be easier and more intuitive for them to source, prepare, and enjoy.

Eat these key nutrients for brain health

While there’s no universal diet for good mental health, there are specific nutrients that everyone needs to ensure they consume in order to lay the groundwork for a healthier body and mind.

Omega-3 fats

Omega-3 fats can be found in oily fish, such as salmon and sardines, and plant sources such as walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Omega-3 fats build brain cell membranes, reduce inflammation, and promote new brain cell formation, which can improve mood and memory, and reduce the occurrence of brain disorders.

Complex carbohydrates

These can be found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, and our bodies break them down slowly so they deliver energy consistently over a longer period of time. Eating meals or snacks that include complex carbs every three to five hours can contribute to a more stable, happy mood.

Vitamins

You’ll find B vitamins in meat, dairy, eggs, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and leafy green vegetables, while vitamin D can be found in eggs, meat, and oily fish. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 can cause depression, irritability, agitation, psychosis, and decrease antidepressant response, while deficiencies in vitamin D have been found in people with depression, seasonal affective disorder, and schizophrenia.

Minerals

Iron, magnesium, and zinc are all minerals associated with brain health. Iron stimulates brain development and protects against dementia, while magnesium is associated with improved sleep, and both magnesium and zinc help to protect against depression. Meat, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens are good sources of iron, while pumpkin and flax seeds, almonds, cashews, avocado, tofu, spinach, swiss chard, and black beans all contain magnesium. Zinc can be found in oysters, crab, beef, pork, chicken, and beans.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids, which can be found in all fruits and vegetables. These nutrients help the brain fight oxidative damage and neural inflammation by preventing harmful free radicals from forming. This helps to protect the brain against neurodegenerative disorders, anxiety, and depression.

Amino acids

Tryptophan is an amino acid needed to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep, calmness, and relaxation. Another amino acid, tyrosine, is needed to create the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which create feelings of pleasure and improve motivation, alertness, and focus. Tryptophan and tyrosine can both be found in protein-rich foods including nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, beans, lentils, and eggs.

Water

You may not think of it as a nutrient, but water is essential to healthy brain function. In fact, a mere 1% drop in hydration is associated with a 5% drop in cognitive function, while a 2% drop can cause short-term memory impairment and difficulty focusing. Drinking enough water and getting hydration from other food and beverage sources helps us stay alert.

Being nourished as well as fed

The connection between nutrition and mental health goes beyond getting enough of the right nutrients. It has emotional, social, and cultural dimensions that can nourish us in deep and meaningful ways, and Bloudoff said these aspects are just as important to our mental health. That’s why she stresses the importance of eating for enjoyment, meaning, and connection.

“The foods we choose and our eating experiences also impact our emotional health,” Bloudoff explained. “We have emotional and cultural connections to food, and we connect with others over food.”

Eat together

Eating with others has many benefits, including building social connections with family, friends, coworkers and exploring new foods you might not normally try.

“Whether it’s the classic, nuclear-family meals on Sunday night or meeting up with friends for coffee and a snack, these are ways to foster emotional and mental health.”

Eat for pleasure

Including foods we enjoy in our diets can promote positive emotions, and it also motivates us to seek food out regularly enough that we stay nourished and energetic. Cultural or traditional foods, especially, can help us strengthen personal and cultural connections as well as delivering important sources of key nutrients.

“Food is more than just fuel. When it’s pleasurable, culturally appropriate, and meaningful, it’s going to make you feel good on more levels than just the physical.”

A vital piece of the puzzle

Recovery is a complex and multifaceted process, and nutrition is one of many aspects that impact mental wellness. At Homewood Ravensview, Bloudoff works alongside physicians, nurses, psychiatrists, therapists, addictions counsellors, occupational therapists, and recreation, horticulture, music, and art therapists. But good nutrition can set the stage for success across the wellness journey.

“Nutrition doesn’t replace therapy or medications, but they all work together holistically,” she explained. ” Medications don’t work properly if you don’t have adequate nutrition. Therapy may not be as effective if you’re not feeding your brain so you can give it your focus and energy. Nutrition is one of those foundational pieces that help us do all the things that are important from a mental health perspective.”


Interconnections Between Stress, Diabetes, Nutrition, and Mental Health

Interconnections Between Stress, Diabetes, Nutrition, and Mental Health


Most people know that stress is something to reduce or avoid, but it may be surprising to learn how much it can affect our overall health and well-being. It’s especially true for people who are living with metabolic diseases like diabetes.

Stress significantly affects our body’s ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and reach a manageable state. What’s perhaps more problematic is that it’s thought that close to 40% of those with diabetes are unaware they have it. (1) When imbalanced and uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to various complications, including cardiovascular disease (stroke and heart disease), kidney problems and nerve damage.

This article will look at the interplay and relationships between stress, nutrition, diabetes, and mental health. With a better understanding of how everything is connected, we can explore some early warning signs that could make you want to determine your diabetic status. From there, we can share some tips to help you think about how stress might affect how your body processes glucose and determine how to reduce stress overall for better health.

How does stress affect blood sugar levels?

When stressed, cortisol and adrenaline are released into our bodies, prompting our pancreas to release stored glucose into our bloodstream. It’s a natural response: these hormones raise blood sugar to react to a fight-or-flight situation. This happens in a fraction of a second and starts a complex sequence of events. (2)

When our bodies perceive a threat, this instinctive reaction gives us the quick energy we might need to survive it. At the same time, we need to be able to lower blood sugar levels when we aren’t under threat to ensure that all our cells have the necessary energy to function correctly. Insulin is the chemical signal responsible for regulating glucose and determining how we store nutrients in our liver and muscles. It also plays a significant role in how our bodies hold fat molecules. Being in a state of chronic stress can lead our bodies to develop a state of chronic inflammation and is linked to a condition referred to as insulin resistance.

Chronic stress doesn’t allow for the natural conditions to have insulin work to clear away elevated levels of stress hormones within our bodies. Over time, cells become less responsive to insulin while it tries try to simply do its job as the natural chemical messenger it is. When that happens, our bodies pay less attention to those signals, and how we absorb and clear glucose in our bloodstream becomes impaired. Since insulin is such an essential energy regulator, improper functioning can affect our overall health in ways we don’t realize.

How is nutrition related?

Our bodies operate on a delicate balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, where each nutrition element is critical to our overall well-being. When there are imbalances from having either too much or too little of these nutrients, it can impact our health because our body’s priority is to protect the brain. Nutrition is also linked to stress levels and blood sugar regulation. Sometimes, we may use emotional eating or binge eating as coping mechanisms to try and address high stress.

Discovering how much our gastrointestinal system plays a part in our emotional health can be surprising. Researchers have learned that “a big part of our emotions are probably influenced by the nerves in our gut.” (3) As part of the digestive process, the microorganisms that live in our gut produce neurotransmitters like serotonin. Serotonin is closely related to mood and emotional well-being. Imbalances can contribute to depression and anxiety, which can affect our overall emotional state. It gives some validity to our “gut feelings” because “95 percent of the body’s serotonin is found in the bowels,” so it makes sense for us to become more aware of our complex relationship with food. (4)

Some strategies could help develop greater awareness of the interconnectedness of food and how our bodies function under stress: (5)

1. Think about whether you have consciously or unconsciously established rules for when you can eat or what you can eat. If you recognize some, consider when these started and why.

2. Relearn your “natural hunger cues” to help you listen to what your body says about what it needs and when it’s full.

3. Slow down and savour your food choices by noticing the flavour, textures, and feelings you experience as you eat.

  • Are you enjoying the food?
  • Are you responding to a craving?
  • Is eating solving the problem you may have started with?
  • Is your hunger going away as you eat?
  • Do you feel happy, guilty, or upset while eating?

When we recognize these thought patterns, we can understand how we behave around food and be more conscious that this act to nourish ourselves is only part of a series of processes activated in our bodies.

Symptoms of stress and diabetes

Since so many are living with undiagnosed diabetes and may be unaware of the relationship between the disease and chronic stress, we thought it might be helpful to share some signs to watch for. Please keep in mind that this information is never intended to replace a diagnosis or treatment plan recommended by a health care professional.

Here are some similarities and differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes:

Note: We aren’t covering other related forms of diabetes such as gestational diabetes or pre-diabetes.

We often overlook or dismiss symptoms because our lives are hectic, so and stress is so prevalent. Here are some signs of stress and what we tend to attribute them to:

Consistent and comprehensive monitoring with your healthcare team helps you identify patterns and assess how stress affects you. With this information, you can make informed plans for addressing supportive changes.

Ways to reduce stress

Reducing stress is possible by using simple but effective strategies. Embracing these adaptations to your lifestyle can make a significant difference in your long-term health and well-being.

1. Get up and move around every day.

Spend at least 150 minutes each week doing activities that increase your heart rate and get your muscles moving. You don’t have to run or do things that cause extreme exertion, and you don’t have to do marathon sessions. Tasks around the house get you moving, too. Even ten minutes of walking helps. Movement has the added advantage of improving mental health too. Before long, you may notice that your body craves it!

2. Consume a wide variety of nutritious foods that provide your body with the vitamins and minerals that chronic stress can deplete.

Getting these through food sources rather than supplementation is always preferred. You should consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking supplements to try and counteract the effects of stress or prevent diseases. Doing so could inadvertently cause more internal stress and inflammation in your body that you are unaware of and create circumstances where your body may become more vulnerable to other diseases.

3. Reduce and redirect the time spent using social media in favour of connecting with other people.

You’ll be able to practice the art of friendship, learn from other people’s perspectives, and discover what it’s like to be an active part of a community. You could participate in shared activities, interests, or experiences.

4. Explore the mechanism of your breath.

It’s easy to start by first discovering how many times you breathe in one minute and then seeing if you can reduce that by breathing fuller, deeper, and with more awareness. How do you feel when you slow your breathing down? You might prefer to use guided meditations to help your breathing and visualize what calmness is for you.

5. Seek professional help and leverage counselling to address the root causes of chronic stress you may be experiencing.

Learning about yourself and your reactions can make you better informed and anticipate and plan a better response when you encounter a stressful situation.

Discovering more about how stress and blood sugar are interconnected is a way to manage and promote good health practices and gain knowledge to live a better life.

References:

1. PAHO (Pan American Health Organization, a branch of the WHO – World Health Organization). (2022 November 11). The number of people with diabetes in the Americas has more than tripled in three decades, PAHO report says. PAHO. Retrieved December 1, 2023 from https://www.paho.org/en/news/11-11-2022-number-peo…

2. ]Cleveland Clinic (2021 December 10 – last medical review). Cortisol. Cleveland Clinic Articles. Retrieved December 1, 2023 from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/221…

3. Mayar, E. (as cited by Hadhazy, A.) (2010 February 12). Think Twice: How the Gut’s “Second Brain” Influences Mood and Well-Being. Scientific American. Retrieved December 1, 2023 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-sec…

4. Ibid.

5. Davidson, K. MScFN, RD, CPT (medically reviewed by Seitz, A. MS, RD.). (2020 December 3). How Can I Improve My Relationship with Food? Healthline – NUTRITION. Retrieved December 1, 2023 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fixing-a-bad-…


The Psychology of Debt

The Psychology of Debt


Debt can have a significant effect on our mental well-being. When the constant pressure of financial obligations and the anxiety of meeting payments looms over our heads, it can have an impact on our stress level, sleep and mood. It’s a burden that can even affect our self-esteem, making us feel insecure, inadequate, and helpless.

Our mental, physical, and financial health are connected, and we need to recognize how financial worries weigh on us so we can seek support to alleviate the stress and improve our mental health.

In this article, we’ll examine how debt affects us emotionally, influencing how we behave and how it makes us feel about ourselves. We’ll also connect the dots to what the strain of debt does to us physically. Once we have a better understanding of how it’s all connected, we can explore practical options and strategies that can be helpful to work on reducing and eliminating debt. It’s not a situation anyone intentionally ends up in, and it can be frightening. Taking small steps forward can help us feel a sense of direction again, regain control, and reduce stress to find a better balance between our health and wealth. 

When it comes to finances, does everyone start from the same place?

Unfortunately, there is no equal ground when it comes to financial matters because disparities between resources, opportunities, and education all factor significantly into our individual experiences. It is an important reality to recognize as we consider the relationship between debt and mental health.

Contrasts and inequality around the economic circumstances we are born into create complexities that undeniably affect people’s well-being. Just think about the significant differences in housing, our environments, who we interact and form relationships with, and how we develop and identify ourselves. There needs to be more self-awareness regarding individuals’ advantages, benefits, or access to opportunities.

The interconnectedness of all kinds of social determinants, such as the affordability and availability of food and the reliability of transportation, affects someone’s ability to access essential services. People with economic privilege have higher levels of education and can typically make healthier lifestyle choices, in addition to having improved access to high-quality healthcare.

How does financial worry, particularly related to managing debt, affect mental health?

Feeling economically stable and secure can be a marker of financial success and is crucial to maintaining a positive and balanced view of life. For many people, trying to improve their earning potential starts as they enter adulthood, where education and skill development are often the priority, while at the same time, they are trying to manage living expenses. Despite knowing that budgeting and saving are habits to master in this phase of life and can certainly be helpful to set the stage for an easier time financially, they can be challenging to put into practice. Many psychological influences often need to be factored into the equation rather than simply focusing purely on “income and expenses.” (1)

Even though we might not have stable income and expenses, there are times when we focus on “wants” or things we aspire to. We convince ourselves that we’re depriving ourselves of experiences or the lifestyles we “deserve.” It’s at that moment that impulsive spending can happen. We start to spend because we feel bored or stressed, even though we don’t really have the financial means. And while those purchases might temporarily relieve those feelings, they set a course that contributes to long-term financial strain and unmanageable debt loads.

Over time, debt can make us feel overwhelmed and create intense pressures that affect our mental health and start to show up as:

    • Anxiety
    • Stress
    • Frustration
    • Depression

Our relationships can also take a toll, creating increased family tension and straining friendships. It affects how we communicate and our emotional well-being. We might feel embarrassed or full of shame for getting into the circumstances, which can lead to low self-esteem and a general feeling of helplessness.

Prolonged financial strain can even affect our physical health as our body responds to chronic stress. We can experience sleep problems, headaches, and digestive issues. Mentally, we may have reduced concentration and impaired decision-making abilities. It may seem easier for some to cope by avoiding what’s happening altogether, ignoring bills, and discussing money or financial responsibilities.

What kinds of drivers can influence our financial behaviours?

A complex combination of internal and external factors can influence how we handle financial decisions and manage money. Attitudes towards risk, biases we have, and financial literacy all come into play.

Economic conditions

The economy is shaped by inflation and interest rates, employment levels, and government policies that evolve and change over time. They are also largely out of our control. With periods of economic uncertainty, we tend to pay more attention to finances, prioritize essential expenses and savings over spending, and put off major purchases to be more budget-conscious and cautious about taking on additional debt.

It can be tough for many people who are watching their spending. Basic housing, food, transportation, and education costs are at all-time highs. For many, wages are stretched to their limits. Consumer Affairs researched costs between generational groups and found many alarming realities through their comparisons: (2) 

    • Those in Gen Z (born between 1996 and 2012) and millennials (born between 1981 and 1995) “are paying nearly 100% more for their homes than baby boomers [born between 1946 and 1964] did when they were in their twenties.”
    • Gen Z dollars have “86% less purchasing power” than when baby boomers were in their twenties.
    • Gen Z and millennials pay “nearly 60% more” than baby boomers in their twenties for gasoline.
    • Many younger adults are priced out of the market because housing costs (when adjusted for inflation) are “nearly double” compared to when baby boomers were the same age.
    • Today, rents are 150% more than in 1970, making saving difficult. Some rentals are “just as costly, if not costlier, than a mortgage.”

Job loss

Job loss can introduce heightened financial insecurity and stress due to fear and uncertainty. The loss of income may lead to a reassessment of priorities during unemployment. It can also increase anxiety.

Medical emergencies or illnesses

Unexpected healthcare expenses can accumulate quickly and profoundly impact financial well-being. Without adequate insurance coverage, people can face substantial medical bills, leading to increased debt, more financial strain, and potentially long-term consequences for overall financial stability. People may need to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) to care for a loved one or themselves and in turn can be impacted. It can be frightening, disheartening, and exhausting to worry about how to cover the cost of medications, take time off to recover, and pay for incidentals like transportation, parking and accommodations that can all quickly add up as out-of-pocket expenses.

Student debt

Paying for education creates unique financial stressors, including concerns about future earning potential, career choices, and delayed milestones such as marriage or home ownership. Student loans can contribute to feelings of pressure and affect overall well-being and the ability to focus and influence priorities when making financial decisions. Many students accumulate credit card debt on top of student loans to try and keep themselves afloat. Hiding from the situation can introduce mental health problems as students feel shame about being in debt and try to avoid adding financial stress to the academic stressors they are already experiencing. Experts agree that it’s essential for students to “get real about the debt they are taking on” as they often underestimate the length of time it can take to reduce or eliminate it. (3)

Emotional spending, instant gratification, and other influences

Emotional spending often comes from a desire for instant gratification, where we seek immediate pleasure through impulsive purchases. Societal, cultural, and parental influences can all play a role in shaping our financial behaviours. We receive messages about idealized success formulas that prescribe life milestones such as education, a stable job, marriage, home ownership and starting a family. It can be added complication as we break down and distinguish between good debt where we are investing in ourselves (like school or a mortgage) and receiving a payoff longer term, and bad debt (like high-interest consumer debt) which is more fleeting.

Individualistic versus collective cultures

Individualist cultures emphasize personal achievements and security independence, which may contribute to willingness to take on debt to attain personal goals. In contrast, collective cultures prioritize the community’s well-being, influencing financial decisions to align more with family expectations. Both situations can further complicate the psychology of debt.

What options and strategies are available to reduce and eventually eliminate debt?

Reducing and eliminating debt requires a comprehensive approach combining both practical strategies and a mindset shift. The key to managing debt is focusing on what you can control: developing habits, learning, and committing to making well-informed financial decisions. Here are ten options that you can explore: 

    1. Create a detailed budget that outlines your income, fixed expenses, and other spending. Get insight into where your money is going so you can prioritize expenses and identify areas where you can cut back.
    2. Consider using a debt repayment strategy, such as paying off your smallest debts first or focusing on debts with the highest interest rates. Choose methods that will give you some traction in changing your financial situation and creating positive psychological gains.
    3. Build up even a modest emergency fund so that you have a bit of a financial cushion to fall back on during challenging times and avoid accumulating additional debt from unexpected expenses.
    4. Limit digital payments, especially credit card use. Set a monthly budget for discretionary spending and use only cash or debit for daily expenses to help control expenses. Establish separate accounts that align with budget categories so that you know where you are in your budget planning, stay on track, and don’t inadvertently overspend. Credit cards should be limited and reserved for specific expense categories only, such as essential travel.
    5. Evaluate credit products to increase awareness of incentives that encourage and influence overspending to earn rewards. Only choose those that align with your spending habits and financial goals. The alleged benefits may come at a significant cost in the longer term.
    6. Get assistance from credit counselling services, who can provide advice on budgeting, help develop debt management plans, and negotiate with creditors. These organizations can offer guidance about realistic debt repayment plans.
    7. Negotiate when you are struggling to make payments to see if your creditors have hardship programs available, can offer lower interest rates, or agree to a modified payment plan. Many are willing to work with people who are facing financial difficulties.
    8. Stay motivated by setting milestones for your debt reduction project. Breaking things down into smaller, achievable goals will help you see your progress and encourage you to keep going. Remember to celebrate each small success to change your mindset and improve your mental health.
    9. Improve your financial literacy by learning about the principles of personal finance. With this education, you’ll develop more confidence, allowing you to make informed financial decisions and build habits you can sustain.
    10. Consider working with a financial advisor or planner to get personalized advice for managing debt, planning taxes, investing, and creating and securing long-term direction. There’s a misconception that it’s a service only for people with lots of money. Meeting an advisor can help you determine your priorities and reduce financial stress.

 

Managing stress from debt

We can fear being unable to meet financial obligations, receiving constant contact from creditors, and worrying about the effect debt will have on credit scores. While these stressors are daunting, we can manage them. It starts with developing greater awareness about the behaviour patterns we may turn to when feeling stressed.

Look out for: 

    • A tendency to shop online, being lured or attracted by advertising and clever ways that retailers try to convince people and make it easy to buy. One approach that may work for you is purchasing pre-paid gift cards to use on your online shopping account to avoid using credit cards. This may allow you to control your expenses better and stick to a budget.
    • Subscription models, boxes, and add-on deals that look enticing may seem to offer good value on the initial shipment, but often, the contract terms make it difficult to discontinue. Many people don’t end up using all the products shipped to them.
    • “Experts” who promise quick and easy ways for you to make large sums of money with a small investment of time to attend a “free” online session that will provide you with all the training you need. These often try to allure you with the promise of earning more than you ever imagined was possible, allowing you to do what you want, when you want, working only a few hours a week. Often, there are significant buy-ins to participate in these programs that are disclosed in the introductory sessions. They can be legitimate businesses, but you must be aware that they are often built on multi-level marketing (MLM) models that present challenges.
    • Online gambling that entices people to sign up for their services with a “free” incentive in a digital wallet can deepen debt and create setbacks and new burdens. These platforms are easy to access and present an increased risk of developing gambling addiction. When in debt, we can be desperate to make a gain and prioritize gambling over our financial responsibilities.

 

Take control by: 

    • Talking about your situation with someone you trust.
    • Commit to taking care of yourself by recognizing that self-care can look like saying “no” to a wrong financial decision just as much as it can look like setting small, achievable goals.
    • Seek professional help for debt-related stress. Your mind and body will thank you.

 

When you face debt and get support through financial counselling, therapy, or other resources, you will learn how to develop healthier financial habits. Prioritizing debt repayment and shifting your relationship with your finances will help you create a greater sense of responsibility and deliver the added benefit of feeling more in control of your physical and mental health.

 

References:

1. Munster, R. (2023 April 8). How Understanding the Psychology of Spending Can Improve Your Financial Well-Being. MoneyFit, by Debt Reduction Services (DRS). Retrieved November 6, 2023 from https://www.moneyfit.org/psychology-of-debt-unders…

2. Consumer Affairs Research Team, Edited by McCants, Cassidy (2023 June 1). Comparing the costs of generations. Consumer Affairs. Retrieved November 6, 2023 from https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/comparing-…

3. Novotney, A. (2013 January). Facing up to debt. American Psychological Association. Retrieved November 6, 2023 from https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2013/01/debt


Linking Exercise and Nutrition to a Healthy Mind

Linking Exercise and Nutrition to a Healthy Mind


We have heard it before, eating well and regular exercise are important factors in maintaining a healthy body, but what do those actions mean for your mental health?

Mental health disorder research findings suggest that between ten and thirty percent of adults suffer from mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. As a result of these disorders becoming more commonly diagnosed, physicians have been looking for natural methods to support their patients in treatment of mental health without medication. What the research is beginning to show is that people who suffer from depression or anxiety may improve their overall mental health through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Exercise improves mental health

Physical exercise is increasingly being advocated as a means of maintaining and enhancing positive mental health. Findings suggest that getting twenty to forty minutes of aerobic activity can result in a reduction of anxiety for several hours.

Exercise tips to improve mind and body:

Getting started can be difficult, so start with small, manageable increments of physical activity and then slowly build to regular, more frequent exercise sessions. Setting exercise goals and being active for one day a week can begin your transformation of mind and body. If physical activity is difficult for you, using distraction methods such as listening to music or working out with a friend can help you develop a regular routine.

The benefits of jogging: Aside from the obvious physical health benefits, jogging for 30 minutes can also help with reducing stress, building confidence, improving focus, memory and overall attitude. Jogging once a week begins transforming the mind and body through positive endorphins which can result in one wanting to do it even more.

Walking at work: Making time to exercise can sometimes be difficult, so why not start with little steps throughout the workday to increase your physical activity. Try parking further from the door, taking the stairs, or having your lunch or meeting on the go. Make yourself accountable by challenging a friend or co-worker to do the same. Give yourself an extra challenge by adding ankle weights, helping to build your muscles and stamina.

Make exercise fun: Finding out what physical activity you enjoy is important to your journey of increasing physical activity. From gardening, to hiking, to yoga or even a simple walk around the block, there are several ways one can become more active. Tracking activity through fitness apps can help build a routine of physical activity and allow you to continue to challenge yourself.

Getting started can be difficult, so start with small, manageable increments of physical activity and then slowly build to regular, more frequent exercise sessions. Setting exercise goals and being active for one day a week can begin your transformation of mind and body.

Results of exercise and how it will help you:

As we have discussed various methods of getting active to improve your mental health, here are some of the health benefits from regular exercise you will begin to experience:

  • Improved sleep
  • Stress relief
  • Improvement in mood and disposition
  • Increased energy and stamina
  • Reduced fatigue that can impair mental awareness
  • Weight reduction
  • Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness

When beginning your journey of increasing your physical activity, remember to be patient with yourself; it takes time to get into the habit of exercising regularly. Realise that any small step taken to increase your level of physical activity is better than not doing anything at all.

What you eat is what you feel

Trying to eat healthy when we are feeling low can be challenging, especially since typical comfort foods don’t tend to be the most nutritious. We often try to eat well for our physical health, but research suggests that healthy eating also plays a key role in mental health. When we don’t eat enough nutrient-rich foods, our body lacks vital vitamins and minerals, often affecting our energy and brain function. When certain nutrients are lacking in the diet, mood disorders, like depression, are more common. So, while it may be tempting to turn to a sweet treat for a mood boost, focusing on nourishing foods is much more likely to give you an emotional lift without the fall.

Here are a few tips on key nutrients to fuel your mind and body:

The power of protein: Protein is often praised for building muscle, but the role of protein goes far beyond the gym. Proteins are made up of amino acids; the precursors of neurotransmitters, which chemically transmit information from one nerve cell to another. Neurotransmitters increase levels of alertness and energy, while certain neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are especially important for mental health. Protein rich foods contribute to improved cognitive functioning and well-being by increasing the quantity of neurotransmitters available in the brain. Fish, poultry, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, lentils and beans are excellent sources of protein.

B vitamins for vitality: Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach, citrus fruits, fortified breakfast cereals and beans are rich in Folate, a B vitaminoften deficient in people with depressive symptoms. Folate deficiency can cause serotonin levels in the brain to decrease, a key neurotransmitter which regulates our moods and how we feel. Sardines, salmon and eggs are excellent sources of this vitamin.

Get your omega-3 fatty acids: Essential fatty acids can alter the composition of nerve cell membranes. In fact, some studies have suggested that 250-500 mg per day of omega 3 fats may reduce symptoms of depression in some individuals, though the evidence is not conclusive. Instead of reaching for supplements, which may not be right for everyone, enjoy omega-3 rich fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, or sardines at least twice a week. And what’s even better – these foods are also an excellent source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D.

Enrich your diet with magnesium: Magnesium is required for over 300 separate biochemical pathways, such as the metabolism of energy and the production of protein. This important mineral also activates the enzymes needed for serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine production which, if deficient, can cause symptoms of depression. Food sources for magnesium include nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables such as spinach, whole grains such as brown rice and bran.

Get a good source of selenium: Another mineral that can affect mood, selenium plays a key role in thyroid function. A healthy thyroid supports positive mental health which could reduce the risk of depression. Food sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, fish, shrimp, liver and chicken.

Before making changes to your exercise regimen or diet you should consult with your doctor.


The Role of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Treatment

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Treatment


In 2022, more than five million people in Canada met the diagnostic criteria for a mood, anxiety, or substance-use disorder, which amounts to about 13% of the population. For many, poor mental health is a barrier to living a full and productive life. Occupational therapy is a mental health treatment that can help them learn to adapt and participate more fully in the activities that give their lives stability, purpose, and joy. 

Repairing connections to daily life 

Mental illness impacts every aspect of a person’s life, including their ability to participate fully in social, recreational, and employment activities. People who face mental health challenges can find themselves unable to work, attend school, or even enjoy activities such as hobbies or sports. As a result, their world becomes smaller and they become more isolated as their connections with the outside world are broken.  

Among employed Canadians, 7.5% said they had taken time off from their job or business because of stress or for mental health reasons in the 12 months before April 2023. Every week, about 500,000 Canadians are unable to work due to poor mental health, resulting in 16% of working hours being lost to absences and presenteeism due to mental health issues.

Being unable to work has consequences that go beyond financial uncertainty. Work is a fundamental aspect of our identity and role within society. It gives structure to our lives, provides us with a sense of purpose and belonging, and brings us the respect of our peers.

The same is true of school, and similarly, the ability to attend school regularly is often interrupted by mental illness. A 2017 Ipsos survey of Ontario youth found that 46% of students surveyed reported missing school because of anxiety. And when they do attend, they don’t see as much benefit from the experience: children with poor mental health are 3.5 times likelier to have average grades of C or lower, and 25 times likelier to experience difficulty making friends. 

Occupational therapy and mental health

Occupational therapy is used in many contexts, and occupational therapists can be found in a variety of settings. In a school, you may find them helping children develop skills and behaviours that will help them thrive in an academic setting. In a hospital, they can be found helping people with cognitive or physical limitations re-learn specific tasks or find new ways of doing things so that they can regain independence. In a mental health and addiction treatment centre, occupational therapists help people with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and co-occurring disorders to manage their conditions and regain their ability to take part in the everyday activities that make up daily life. 

While physicians and psychiatrists make diagnoses,  prescribe medication, and create individual treatment programs, occupational therapists help people with mental health conditions learn new ways of participating in work, school, and leisure activities by regaining or acquiring new skills, and adapting their environment (or their response to it) in ways that make it easier for them to participate in various activities. 

Part of an integrated mental health treatment

Mental health treatment requires a holistic approach that supports the whole person, including physical, mental, emotional, social, cultural, and spiritual components. Occupational therapists work closely with other practitioners and specialists to form a collaborative team that delivers holistic care.

This team can include physicians, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, prime therapists, nursing staff, addiction specialists, registered dieticians, recreational therapists, music therapists, art therapists, and horticultural therapists.

The role of the occupational therapist is unique in that it overlaps with and complements many other disciplines. In the context of mental health treatment, occupational therapy focuses on how the patient’s mental state—their thoughts and emotions as well as the symptoms of mental illness, such as fatigue, loss of motivation and meaning, fearfulness and hypervigilance—are preventing them from participating fully in every aspect of a balanced life.

How occupational therapy aids in mental health treatment

At Ravensview, a private mental health and addiction treatment centre on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the occupational therapist uses a range of evidence-based approaches to support their patients in returning confidently to day-to-day life. These approaches can include: 

Cognitive restructuring techniques: These therapeutic techniques help people recognize, challenge, and change negative thinking patterns that can become limiting and self-defeating.

Problem-solving skills training: This intervention gives patients the tools they need to identify problems and find ways to solve or adapt to them. 

Activity exposure: Within an inpatient setting, occupational therapists help the patient build confidence by giving them a safe, controlled way to acclimatize to the environment and activity that they need or want to return to.  

Supportive structure: Occupational therapists often help patients to create daily routines and set specific goals that help them progress along a path toward the desired lifestyle.

Motivational interviewing: Through empathetic, person-centred counselling, occupational therapists explore and resolve ambivalence, build personal motivation, and develop a plan for behavioural change. 

During the treatment, the occupational therapist identifies medical and non-medical issues that are impacting the patient’s capacity, helps the patient improve their ability to identify and manage those issues, and supports the patient in strengthening their motivation for returning to work, school, or social and leisure activities. 

The impact of occupational therapy

Effective mental health treatment takes a multidimensional view of a person’s life, including work, school, recreation, hobbies, and human interaction. By helping patients reconnect with these dimensions, occupational therapy can play a significant role in a patient’s recovery.

Including occupational therapy in a patient’s treatment journey can help to break a vicious cycle, where a person with mental illness withdraws from work, school, exercise, leisure, and social activities, which in turn puts them at greater risk of poor mental health. In fact, this type of therapy can help to accelerate recovery by creating a “flywheel” effect, where the return to fulfilling activities helps to accelerate the patient’s return to health through participation in meaningful and beneficial activities. 

Occupational therapy helps people with mental health issues achieve a number of crucial recovery milestones:

Increase physical movement. The link between exercise and mental health has been extensively researched and confirmed. Evidence from a meta-analysis of 49 studies spanning 260,000 participants shows that people with higher physical activity levels are less likely to develop depression, which is why recreational therapy also plays an integral role in mental health treatment. 

Get back to work. The inability to perform work has financial and psychological consequences, resulting in a loss of self-esteem, work relationships, structure, and purpose. A meta-analysis found that 14 of 16 longitudinal studies on the impact of unemployment and mental health showed a significant, negative association. By helping people return to gainful, meaningful employment, occupational therapy improves their mental health.

Create social connections. Depression, anxiety and cognitive decline (in older people) are all associated with social isolation and having fewer social ties. Research from Statistics Canada showed that 62% of socially connected people with mental health-related disabilities rated their mental health positively compared to only 49% of those who were not socially connected.

Enjoy hobbies. Research shows that having a hobby is linked to lower levels of depression – and may even prevent depression for some people—even those who have clinical depression. Spending time outside in nature has also been shown to have a protective effect on mental health, as do creative pastimes such as music and art. 

We are what we do

For most of us, what we do on a daily basis defines us and gives us our sense of identity and self-worth, whether it’s the contribution we make to the world through our work or the things we do in our down-time that bring us joy. When we experience a mental illness, we often lose those essential parts of ourselves. Occupational therapists help patients find ways of regaining them so that they can participate in and benefit from a return to normal, daily life.


National Ride for Mental Health

National Ride for Mental Health


Check out this video recap of the National Ride for Mental Health held in August!

From Victoria to Guelph to Ottawa, we rode, as a National Partner, in support of Wounded Warriors Canada and raised over $40,000.

Thank you to everyone involved.  We hope to see you next year!

 


Breaking the Silence – Navigating Men’s Mental Health Challenges and Offering Support

Breaking the Silence – Navigating Men’s Mental Health Challenges and Offering Support


There are many stereotypes of masculinity. Men are supposed to be strong and emotionally resilient, but these persistent ideals have shaped expectations placed upon men for too long. Instead, they’ve fostered a culture that tends to discourage men from expressing their vulnerability and emotions because “real men” should be stoic and unyielding. All of this directly affects men’s mental health; breaking the silence around it is a pressing imperative.

Societal and cultural influences perpetuate the myth that men seeking help for mental health struggles are weak. These ingrained beliefs have profound consequences and contribute to the alarming rates of undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues among men. It is time to recognize the need to dismantle barriers and foster an environment where men feel both empowered and encouraged to be open about their mental health. Ultimately, achieving this will pave the way for happier and healthier lives for everyone.

In this article, we’ll address the complexities of men’s mental health. We can start to break free from some of the constraints of societal and cultural influences and relieve some of the pressure that men experience that influences their reluctance and delay in seeking help for mental health. Talking about men’s mental health transparently is essential to reduce stigma. It also emphasizes the need for everyone to recognize how there is more room to be more compassionate.

How does stigma affect how men relate to mental health challenges?

Despite advances and improvements in our overall understanding of mental health, men experiencing mental health challenges often suffer alone. Stigma creates additional complexity when people struggle because they often experience “discrimination, avoidance, and rejection.” (1) It has many facets, including “social (public) stigma, self-stigma (perceived), professional stigma, and cultural stigma,” which create “extreme barrier[s]” for seeking help.(2) Many men fear being seen as less masculine or weak, which can build feelings of inadequacy and worsen their self-esteem. Stigma can influence men’s choices towards less healthy coping mechanisms like aggression or substance use to help them deal with emotional pain. Some men tend to be more comfortable focusing on physical ailments instead, which in turn delays diagnosis and treatment and creates longer recovery times.(3)

From an early age, social conditioning encourages boys to be “strong, independent and emotionally stoic, while girls are expected to be nurturing, empathetic, and compliant.”(4) The long-term effects have men “hide their vulnerabilities and suppress their emotions”.(5)

What are some notable differences in men’s mental health experiences?

The mental health challenges men experience are likely far more common than reported. For example, while depression can affect anyone, regardless of gender, there are differences in how men and women experience and exhibit symptoms. Some researchers have observed that men have more difficulty processing loss and grief over their lifetime. Many life stressors, such as physical illness, financial problems, and relationship breakdowns, become overwhelming and contribute to the manifestation of grief. (6)

Here are some differences to be aware of in how depression may present differently in men and women.

How does this information apply when people identify as Transgender, Gender Neutral/Non-Binary?

It’s critical to approach mental health with an open mind that considers gender-affirming and inclusive perspectives, recognizing that someone’s biological and psychosocial influences can vary widely and may not align with traditional expressions of symptoms of mental health challenges or distress.

  • They may have coping mechanisms that depend on their unique identity and experiences and do not align with traditional gender roles.
  • If they experience gender dysphoria, they feel more intense distress and depression.
  • Their gender identity may influence access to mental health care and supportive services. It can affect their ability to access gender-affirming appropriate treatment. It could “create a profound sense of isolation, as they may feel misunderstood or rejected by their communities.” (9)
  • They may experience chronic stress due to “fear of judgement, discrimination, or violence.” (10)

Mental health professionals need to be sensitive to the specific needs and tailor therapy that acknowledges the impact of gender identity as part of the assistance.

What do studies tell us about how prevalent mental health issues are for men?

The statistics about men’s mental health can be shocking, but being well-informed can help increase awareness of how crucial it is to change the narrative and encourage men to get the help they need.

  • In the U.S., over 6 million men suffer from depression yearly. It is often underdiagnosed. (11)
  • More than 3 million men in the U.S. have panic disorder, agoraphobia, or another phobia (12)
  • 90% of the 3.5 million people in the U.S. who live with schizophrenia are men, diagnosed by age 30. (13)
  • The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are in Caucasian men over 85. (14)
  • In the U.S., gay males are at an increased risk for suicide attempts, especially before age 25. (15)
  • While approximately 1 million Canadian men suffer from major depression yearly, only 30% use available mental health services. (16)
  • 80% of Canadian men have spoken with a healthcare practitioner in the past 12 months as of June 2023. (17)
  • Canadians were more likely to prioritize their physical health than their mental health. However, while nearly 1/3 of women selected mental health as a top priority, only ¼ of men noted the same. (18)
  • 26% of Canadian men said that if they were feeling down or agitated more often than usual, they would either wait over a year or not make an appointment at all if these feelings arose. (19)
  • 76% of all suicides in Canada in 2019 were by men. 38% (the highest number) were men aged 40-60. (20)
  • While women attempt suicide twice as often as men, men die by suicide three times as often as women. (21)

Suicide disparities for men

Men consistently have higher suicide rates in many countries worldwide, especially in middle-aged and older age groups. They also tend to use more lethal methods that are more likely to have their attempts result in death. Targeting mental health awareness is crucial to help reduce the stigma surrounding seeking treatment for mental health challenges. At the same time, the available services must be accessible and gender sensitive. Family, workplace, and community support are essential in suicide prevention.

What are some beneficial prevention and intervention strategies?

Remember that a combination of strategies may be most effective, recognizing each person’s individual needs and circumstances.

Increasing awareness and accessibility when it comes to men’s mental health, services can work to avoid glamorizing or sensationalizing suicide through more responsible portrayals of men in the media who are dealing with mental health issues. It can also encourage more men to be open to conversations within their communities, families, and workplaces. Education can help us to:

  • Recognize signs of mental health distress and promote help-seeking to destigmatize the issue.
  • Ensure that access to mental health and crisis supports are available, accessible, and affordable.
  • Train first responders, community leaders, teachers and medical teams to recognize men’s unique warning signs and specific risk factors such as excessive or untypical substance use or aggressive behaviour.
  • Be open to developing support networks, social connections and self-help resources tailored to men’s needs and introduce the value of help-seeking and positive coping strategies to build resilience.
  • Create crisis intervention plans for men who are at risk that outline what steps to take in case of a mental health emergency.
  • Restrict access to weapons/firearms, medication, and other lethal means that men tend to access during crises.

Stress reduction techniques and healthy coping mechanisms can help men understand how to detect vulnerable changes in their mental health status rather than waiting for a crisis. For example, there are proven benefits of regular exercise in that it can:

  • Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
  • Improve a sense of self, boosting mood, self-worth, and self-esteem.
  • Boost energy and clarity of thinking.
  • Help release beneficial endorphins to clear the body of stress hormones such as cortisol.
  • Be beneficial to participate in collaborative sports teams and avoid ultra-competitive/individualistic sports that build machoism.

Not discounting the value of self-care basics and engaging in enjoyable activities can also prevent crises. It may include quite apparent things but also help with releasing inhibitions that may be holding someone back:

  • Getting restful sleep.
  • Practicing good nutrition.
  • Finding purpose through friends, family, and community involvement to forge social connections and belonging.
  • Speaking with a therapist to explore supports/boundaries and develop resilience. It could also involve joining a peer support group for other men experiencing similar feelings or fulfilling similar roles and obligations.

Encouraging conversations about men’s mental health

Common stereotypes that hinder open discussions about men’s mental health include:

  • The expectation that men should not show emotions, express vulnerability, or ask for help.
  • The belief that men should be tough, aggressive, and dominant.
  • The idea that men must be independent and self-reliant to solve all problems on their own without seeking support or help.
  • The fear that admitting to mental health struggles will be seen as a weakness, failure, inadequacy, or somehow less masculine.
  • The tendency to suppress strong emotions and feelings rather than address them earlier and be more proactive in looking for solutions to pain and promote recovery.
  • The insensitivity of common expressions such as “man up” that trivialize normal emotional responses and promote vocabulary limitations that suppress emotional expression.
  • The fear of being judged by peers, co-workers, partners, or family members if they are transparent about their mental health.

Breaking these stereotypes down helps create a supportive environment to address men’s mental health needs without fear, stigma, or judgment. We must provide safe spaces for men to discuss their feelings and share their experiences openly.

Conversation Starters

While it can be difficult for men and others, starting with an open conversation can be the best approach to take. Consider trying some of these suggestions to start a conversation if you notice someone in your life may be struggling: (22)

  • How are you feeling on a scale of 1 to 10?
  • You’ve been a bit quiet, how are you?
  • How is work at the moment?
  • When did you start feeling this way?
  • How are you coping?
  • Who else can you talk to?
  • What help do you need?

The power of education and awareness

Some prominent men have overcome stigma and sought help, demonstrating that to do so is a sign of strength. Their stories can encourage other men to do the same.

  • 1. Prince Harry has been candid about struggling with grief and mental health after his mother’s death. He co-founded the Invictus Games to promote open conversations about mental well-being and camaraderie for military service people through sport.
  • 2. Comedian Trevor Noah has spoken publicly about his experiences with depression to challenge mental health stigma and promote understanding.
  • 3. Actor and comedian Wayne Brady has shared his struggles with depression and anxiety to encourage other men to seek help and prioritize mental health and well-being.
  • 4. Actor and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has openly discussed his struggles with depression and advocates for increased mental health awareness and self-care.

We’re also sharing some resources published by the Centre for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health that you can explore. They have been specifically developed for men. (23)

Buddy Up – A men’s suicide prevention communications campaign: a call to action to men, by men
Tough Enough to Talk About It – A program for men working in trades, industry, and agriculture
Man Therapy – An interactive website that encourages men to address their mental health and seek help if necessary
DUDES Clubs – Spaces that facilitate a participant-led community for men’s wellness
HeadsUpGuys – Online information and resources to encourage help among men at risk for depression and suicide
Men’s Sheds – Community-based safe and friendly environments where men can learn practical skills, develop new interests, work on meaningful projects, connect with other men, and talk about their problems
Movember – Information about mental health and suicide prevention

Men’s mental health is not just about individual well-being. It benefits us all by creating a more inclusive, empathetic, and supportive environment. By dismantling stereotypes around men’s emotional well-being, we can help save lives, improve relationships, and promote gender equality. Supportive changes in perception will help break the silence around men’s mental health.


References:

1. Chatmon, Benita, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE. (2020 August 19). Males and Mental Health Stigma. American Journal of Men’s Health. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from ttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444121/

2. Ibid.

3. Duran, Andres, LPCC. (n.d.) How Mental health Stigma Impacts Men. Sage Neuroscience Centre. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://sageclinic.org/blog/stigma-impacts-men/

4. Hodge, Kayne. (2023, June 16). Gender Roles and Their Impact on Depression: Beyond the Surface.Mental Health Centre. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.mentalhealthcenter.org/gender-roles-an…

5. Ibid.

6. Ogrodniczuk, J. PhD. & Oliffe, J. PhD. (2011 February). Men and depression. Canadian Family Physician. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC30388…

7. Ogrodniczuk, J. PhD. & Oliffe, J. PhD. (2011 February). Men and depression. Canadian Family Physician. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC30388…

8. Ibid.

9. Hodge, Kayne. (2023, June 16). Gender Roles and Their Impact on Depression: Beyond the Surface.Mental Health Centre. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.mentalhealthcenter.org/gender-roles-an…

10. Ibid.

11. Mental Health America, as cited in Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) (n.d). Men’s Mental Health: Why Men’s Mental Health is Important. ADAA. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/mens-me…

12. Ibid.

13. Ibid.

14. Mental Health America (n.d.) Infographic: Mental Health for Men. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-hea…

15. Ibid.

16. Parent, A. (2023 January 26). Mental health and men: how to support your loved onesI. Canadian Red Cross Blog. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2023/1/mental-health-…

17. Movember Canada as cited in CISION (2023, June 12). New Survey Suggests Positive Shift: Shows Men More Proactive in Managing their Physical Health, Continue to Struggle Prioritizing Mental Wellness. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/new-survey-s…

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Centre for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Commission of Canada (2022 March 30). Men and suicide. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://www.suicideinfo.ca/local_resource/men-and-…

21. Ibid.

22. Mental Health Innovations (n.d.) Talking about men’s mental health: conversation tips. Men’s Health Innovations Charity. Retrieved August 29, 2023 from https://giveusashout.org/latest/talking-about-mens…

23. Ibid.


Compassion Fatigue

Compassion Fatigue


You can feel that you’ve reached a limit you weren’t even aware you had. What you may be experiencing is compassion fatigue.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what compassion fatigue is and learn who is most often affected by it and what types of demanding professions often increase the risk/susceptibility to develop it. Compassion fatigue differs from feeling burnt out, and learning the difference between these symptoms can help create better self-awareness. We’ll also share some coping strategies and discuss how to prevent compassion fatigue. This knowledge is vital to help people experiencing compassion fatigue find strength, develop more resilience, and engage in self-care. Fundamentally, it helps us all be more compassionate towards ourselves, as well as to others.

What is compassion fatigue?

Compassion fatigue is a form of stress that someone can develop when they have direct exposure to traumatic events (firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emergency hospital staff) or secondary exposure (child protection workers, helping victimized clients, or hearing clients talking about traumatic experiences) and are focused on helping others through extraordinarily stressful or traumatic situations. The effects of compassion fatigue can result in the person being left feeling exhausted and drained, both physically and emotionally. Often, there is little room for them to take the necessary steps that would allow them to recharge and recover.

Over time, people who assist others, who “are chronically in despair” and who experience “very difficult life circumstances,” are the ones at risk of becoming “profoundly affected and even possibly damaged by their work” to the point that they may gradually experience a decline in their ability to feel empathy and compassion. (1) When that happens, there is a tendency to view the stress from these helping interactions as a routine, psychological “cost of caring.” (2)

Carers may find that they begin to “make excuses” to mask what they are feeling to justify any negative behaviours they are starting to display. Often, they will use metaphors of strength, by saying things such as – “I’ve been doing this for a very long time now, so I know how to manage it” – or – “I stayed up all night helping [this person, so] that’s why I’m a bit cranky today.” (3) The reality is that these act as “invisible badges of honour” that justify how they feel and simultaneously hide the frightening truth that they are losing control. (4) The carer’s view of the world may start to change due to repeated exposure to other people’s traumas as they begin to vicariously feel like the experiences they have been trying to help people with are now happening to them. Charles Figley, who did extensive research in these areas referred to compassion fatigue as “a dark cloud that hangs over your head wherever you go and invades your thoughts.” (5)

Compassion fatigue is treatable, especially when those directly affected, and those who care about them, begin to recognize that the root cause is that they are afraid of how their brains and bodies are telling them that they are not okay. (6)

Understanding who is most at risk

Compassion fatigue is prevalent in high-stress professions, especially roles that focus on using empathy in their pursuit of helping or serving others. It frequently affects people in the following types of occupations and roles:

  • Healthcare workers (physicians, nurses)
  • First responders
  • Psychologists, counsellors, and social workers
  • Educators
  • Community service workers, foster carers
  • Customer service roles

What is the difference between compassion fatigue and burnout?

While compassion fatigue and burnout are similar, there are distinct differences in where the stress originates. People who suffer from compassion fatigue have their view of the world damaged or transformed because of the work they do.

Burnout can make people more vulnerable to compassion fatigue. Burnout is when someone experiences constant mental and physical exhaustion from being in a stressful situation where they feel overworked and unappreciated. Someone with burnout may become cynical, disillusioned, and demotivated because there’s a misalignment between their job demands, responsibilities and what they value.

Unlike compassion fatigue, burnout develops from providing care and support to people experiencing trauma, resulting in diminished empathy and feeling emotionally numb.

How does compassion fatigue affect someone’s life?

Compassion fatigue can have significant repercussions in someone’s life that reach far beyond their profession. They may begin to withdraw from friends and family because they feel emotionally detached from these meaningful relationships. Compounded by their emotional exhaustion and decreased empathy, they can strain connections, leading to misunderstandings that may make them uncharacteristically seek isolation. Ultimately, they may feel challenged to separate the different aspects of their lives, and their “work habits and patterns can become increasingly unpredictable.” (7) People with strong empathy seem more at risk because they are so attuned to the vulnerabilities and suffering of those they are trying to help.

What are some of the symptoms or warning signs of compassion fatigue?

There are several warning signs that someone may be experiencing compassion fatigue. (8)

How can someone learn to cope, recognize and reduce compassion fatigue?

Someone experiencing compassion fatigue needs to recognize the toll of believing they need to stay positive and happy even when a person they are helping’s situation is challenging or worsening. In reality, it’s contradictory and unnatural to do so but there are things to do that can help them learn how to cope.

  • Use self-compassion. Take the time to show yourself the same compassion you would others.
  • Focus on yourself, even for a short time between interactions, to reconnect and ground yourself in your awareness and recharge. That can look like giving yourself ten minutes to complete self-care practices such as:
    • Deep breathing
    • Meditation
    • Prayer
    • Journaling
  • Attend regular professional development and ongoing training, develop resiliency skills, and commit to change.
  • Recognize and feel your emotions so that you can begin to release your thoughts. Allow yourself to:
    • Look for and experience expressions of tension, irritability, anger
    • Tell someone how you are feeling
  • Prioritize giving yourself a real break. Gift yourself:
    • Better work/life balance
    • Vacation time
    • Time for positive expressions of self-care like:
      • Going for a massage
      • Treating yourself to some personal care
      • Watching movies or entertainment
      • Spending time with friends
    • And avoid potentially harmful and destructive forms such as
      • Over-consuming alcohol or drugs
  • Exercise has been proven to affect mental and physical health positively. When practiced regularly, it results in:
    • Reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression
    • Improvements in mood and self-esteem
    • The natural release of beneficial endorphins that help clear cortisol, one of the body’s stress hormones
  • Getting enough sleep allows your body to repair itself during the full range of a sleep cycle.
  • Maintaining good nutrition with food choices and portions that are healthy, natural, and deliver sustenance, plus essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
  • Consider joining a support group for people who have similar roles and professional obligations that make them vulnerable to developing compassion fatigue.
  • Review and rebalance workload and look for ways to increase job satisfaction, self-awareness and limit trauma inputs.
  • Speak with a therapist to help you develop clear set boundaries that will help you both protect yourself and create more resilience.
  • Develop a prevention plan and regularly evaluate to notice and appreciate the changes.

How can you be supportive of someone who is experiencing compassion fatigue?

Acknowledging and understanding that this phenomenon is a by-product of the carer’s role, not simply someone having a bad day, is a great way to help reduce compassion fatigue.

If you know someone who may be experiencing symptoms of compassion fatigue, you can offer help. Educate yourself so that you can recognize and provide support through:

  • Develop appropriate boundary-setting
  • Active listening
  • Compassionate expressions of kindness and connection
  • Being empathetic to them

Organizations can also reduce or prevent compassion fatigue among their staff by offering adequate education, training, compensation, benefits and access to professional help.


References:

1. Tend Academy (n.d.) What is Compassion Fatigue? tendacademy.ca. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://www.tendacademy.ca/what-is-compassion-fati…

2. Charles Figley 1982, as cited in Tend Academy (n.d.) What is Compassion Fatigue? tendacademy.ca. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://www.tendacademy.ca/what-is-compassion-fati…

3. Cunningham, Amy (2016). Drowning in Empathy: The Cost of Vicarious Trauma. TEDxSanAntonio [YouTube]. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://youtu.be/ZsaorjIo1Yc

4. Ibid.

5. Charles Figley, as cited in Clay, Rebecca (2022 July 11). Are you experiencing compassion fatigue? American Psychological Association. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/compassion-fat…

6. Cunningham, Amy (2016). Drowning in Empathy: The Cost of Vicarious Trauma. TEDxSanAntonio [YouTube]. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://youtu.be/ZsaorjIo1Yc

7. Stowen, Debbie. (2020 November). Moving from compassion fatigue to compassion resilience. Part 4: Signs and consequences of compassion fatigue. The Canadian Veterinary Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC75607….

8. Kamkar, Katy. (2019 May 21). 20 warning signs of compassion fatigue. Canadian Occupational Safety: The Safety Magazine. Retrieved July 23, 2023 from https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/news/opinion/20-wa…


Back to School can Bring big Changes

Back to School can Bring big Changes


Often as summer days are winding down, it’s common for children, teens, and young adults to feel anxious and develop apprehensiveness about the upcoming school year.

As parents and caregivers, it’s essential to recognize and address signs of stress and anxiety so that they can provide support and guidance. The approach they take to help is critical. They must show a clear path forward at a challenging time, while offering reassurance and tools to help them cope with their feelings. Introducing positive approaches to building confidence and creating an environment that allows their children to develop a better sense of well-being, can ease their worries and encourage them to be open-minded about the upcoming academic year.

In this article, we’ll offer some ideas about how stress and anxiety may present themselves and address possible reasons why they have cropped up. Having an approach to help work through these feelings and learn about the importance of how to care for mental health will come about through open discussion. It’s crucial to ensure your strength and resilience are healthy by modelling the need for self-care.

Recognizing signs of stress and anxiety

Sometimes, minor environmental shifts (like “back to school” signs outside retailers) can set off worry about returning to school, even if it is still weeks away.  Here are some things to watch for:

  • In younger children, stress and anxiety can show up as:
    • Emotional outbursts.
    • Insomnia or sleep troubles.
    • Changes in eating habits.
  • In teens and young adults, stress and anxiety might look like:
    • Self-criticism and social withdrawal.
    • A rejection of everyday routines and activities.
    • Substance use.

What could be causing it?

  • Younger children might be faced with anticipation around:
    • Starting at a new school.
    • Concerns around whether they will be in the same classes as their friends.
    • Worrying about bullying they may have experienced or are anticipating. For example, due to changes in their health, like being unable to see or hear clearly, can build anxious feelings because they could anticipate being treated differently by peers or targeted and made fun of if they need to wear glasses or use hearing amplification devices.

For teens and young adults, there are a lot of factors to consider. Let’s look at some of the most common ones.

1. Transitioning to secondary school can be stressful.

 Up to now, things have been pretty straightforward, and they may have felt confident because they were familiar with the teachers and routines.

  • Secondary schools will introduce different and new approaches, expectations and accountabilities.
  • Some of these may be explained in a student code of conduct that addresses items such as dress codes, attendance and disciplinary measures.

2. Competing commitments can make someone feel that they are spread too thin and creates stress. It’s essential to consider ways to support them that make the experiences “more rewarding, stimulating or pleasant,” which could initially seem counterintuitive. (1) For example, they may be comfortable combining homework and social time. To some extent, we need to trust the process and be ready to listen, offering guidance to help them navigate the many things competing for their time when they begin to show that they may be overwhelmed.

  • School work
    • Reinforce that learning requires dedication and focus, which comes from studying. It means that they will learn more with repeated exposure and application. Learning should be framed as continuous.
  • Activities
    • Participating in activities they enjoy will help them develop confidence and good self-care practices. Sports, choirs, dancing, acting, gaming, and other groups focusing on causes are just a few examples.
  • Social time
    • Spending time with friends has many benefits and can help them feel a sense of community and belonging.
  • Work
    • Consider setting limits for work hours to reinforce a priority on education and an expectation around studying and completing homework and assignments on time.
    • Offer coaching to help them set appropriate boundaries with their supervisors.
  • Family obligations
    • Regular household operations and maintenance should be established. That might include cleaning, cooking, laundry, or cutting the lawn.
    • There may be time spent as a family unit having fun on vacation, at the beach, or simply being together.
  • Volunteering
    • Some school boards encourage volunteerism and require several dedicated volunteer hours as a condition of graduation.

3. Nearing the end of high school can be a time when there is a lot of uncertainty and nervousness about entering a new phase of life and determining what comes next. It is important to remember that some anxiety may be caused by:

  • Thinking about how they could be preparing for jobs that may not even exist yet.
  • Fears:
    • Of disappointing parents.
    • Of being compared to siblings.
    • Of finding they lack what they believe is a marker of being “successful.”
  • Parents and caregivers need to consider the influence of social media in teens’ or young adults’ lives. Traditional or familiar career paths may not be part of their plans, creating conflict as it can be challenging to understand a different approach to establishing income and finding personal economic security.
  • They may be struggling with anticipation around the expectations of attending post-secondary schooling, which creates tremendous amounts of stress and anxiety about:
    • Needing to achieve necessary entry requirements for programs.
    • Funding post-secondary education.
    • Finding affordable, safe living arrangements.
    • Figuring out how to suddenly be responsible for all of their own tasks that they may not be sure of yet.

4. The transition to post-secondary school.

  • There are increased expectations and a more rapid approach to learning that can create pressures and take away from some of the excitement of new-found independence and accountability.
    • Many students report “a decline in mental health” as the study period continues because they feel increased pressures academically, socially, and financially, which can put them at increased risk of experiencing anxiety and developing depression because of intense demands and expectations. (2)
    • Parental oversight must evolve because legally and for personal and confidential reasons, they can no longer intervene with faculty and administration on behalf of their young adults.
    • The onus is on students to discover and take advantage of supports and resources provided by the educational institution. Students are informed of these, and usage is highly encouraged. Sometimes, faculty may initiate a referral if they notice a student is struggling.

How to have a conversation with your child, teen, or young adult about their mental health

Parents and caregivers must be more aware of adopting positive approaches when discussing mental health to demonstrate openness and support. Children, teens, and young adults should understand that mental health is as important as physical health. Starting small and introducing the idea that regular discussion is healthy, is an excellent place to begin.

If you need help approaching the conversation around mental health, focus on keeping things simple and being supportive and open to listening to understand rather than to respond. You might even ask early in the conversation if the person wants to hear anything from you. If not, respect that may only need your time and full attention. When listening, be sure that you are non-judgemental and compassionate. (3)

  • Don’t fall into the trap of stigmatizing them by making assumptions about how easy/difficult things are for young people today. It’s a sure way to disengage and shut down the conversation.
  • Recognize that there may be a reluctance to be fully transparent with and bring up concerns “because they aren’t sure how parents and caregivers will react.” (4)
  • Consider sharing your feelings to encourage them to open up but don’t overshare.
    • You need to gauge what is age and situationally appropriate. Avoid extremes that can be overwhelming.
  • Talk about mental health using people they admire or are inspired by.
  • Encourage discussion even when it’s difficult or feels uncomfortable. It’s normal and healthy to do so.
  • Understand that dynamics between siblings or friends significantly influence mental health.
    • Always remember to see them as an individual and avoid comparisons.
  • Respect their boundaries if they don’t want to share or discuss experiences or worries. Offer reassurance and reinforce trust. They need to know that they can bring things up with you when they are ready to and that your support is unconditional.

What can parents or caregivers do to be helpful, especially when this is a stressful time for everyone?

Returning to school is stressful for everyone. As parents and caregivers, it’s helpful to work through these situations, introducing healthy ways to cope and reducing some of the stress and anxiety. Be present and open to listening and learning. Above all, recognize everyone as individuals because working in generalizations and focusing on comparisons won’t be helpful.

Routines offer predictability and familiarity

Establishing or reintroducing routines a few weeks before school starts provides consistency and certainty. It is going to be beneficial to counteract uncertainty and confusion.

    • Everyone needs to get sufficient rest to have the best chance of starting a day fresh and with optimism.
      • Start with adjusting sleep schedules so bedtime and wake-up times will be closer to school schedules.
  • Plan regular mealtimes to create more structure and reinforce the connection between being nourished and physical and mental health.
    • Include breakfast, lunch and dinners that are healthy and nutritious.
  • Book medical checkups before school starts if possible.
  • Meet with a doctor to ensure your child is physically well, vaccinations are up-to-date, and you get copies of any medical records that the school may require.
  • Visit an optometrist to ensure your child’s vision is optimal and, if needed, that glasses prescriptions are up-to-date.
  • Schedule a dental appointment to ensure your child’s dental health is good.
  • Consider preparing supplies in advance to avoid rushing and increased stress.
    • For children:
      • Sometimes, supply lists are available before classes start; other times, this information is shared during the early weeks of classes.
      • Reduce stress by pre-planning and allowing some of your budget to go towards saving for these expenses early on.
        • If funding is challenging, local resources or organizations can usually offer support.
      • You can involve your child in the preparations by having them:
        • Clean and organize school bags/backpacks.
        • Label notebooks, pencils, pens, and lunch boxes.
  • For teens and young adults:
    • Some secondary schools provide loans for digital equipment for students to use. These may be issued before orientation or during the first weeks of classes. Encourage them to call the school to find out.
  • For post-secondary education, students generally provide their equipment. Still, there are usually open-access computer labs on campus and emergency loaner equipment in case of a technical malfunction.
    • School network accounts may also be something students need to become familiar with to access and complete assignments.

Create a safe space for sharing feelings

Talk to your child about what they may expect for the upcoming school year. You may be surprised to hear where their focus lies. Let them lead the conversation. Work on setting a few small and easy-to-attain goals to help them realize their growth potential and how it can be achieved through their efforts. Emphasize school’s positives.

Find ways to help to reduce stress and anxiety

If there are orientations or open houses that happen in the weeks before classes start, take advantage of them. You can meet teachers and administration staff and find new or familiar faces at these events.

Introduce and model tools that can help them cope with feelings of anxiety.

This can be as simple as introducing easy-to-remember breathing and grounding techniques.

  • Box breathing
    • It helps some people to remember this technique if they imagine a box with four corners.
  1. Breathe in, counting to four slowly.
  2. Next, hold your breath, thinking about the air filling each of the box’s four corners.
  3. Then, slowly breathe out. Exhale through your nose or mouth, counting to four again.
  4. Finally, hold your breath for another four counts before restarting.
  • Threes
    • This helps calm some people by encouraging focus on their environment and where they are. The key is subtlety, quiet, and calmness.
  1. Look around for 3 objects. Notice them and name them quietly to yourself.
  2. Next, listen for 3 sounds around you. Notice them and name what they are quietly to yourself.
  3. Finally, notice 3 body parts that you can move. Work on gently moving each of them, slowly and carefully. It could be blinking your eyes, wiggling a finger or toes, feeling your ribs and lungs move as you breathe, or moving your head and neck slowly from side to side or in a circle.

Exercises like these reinforce resilience and are a way to remind everyone of the potential for growth, strength and what can be overcome. Practice together to reassure them and help instill confidence that they can tackle future challenges by remembering these tools.

Practice your self-care as parents and caregivers.

Ultimately, for you to be able to be intuitive, responsive, and adaptive, you need to ensure your stress levels are under control. Here are a few additional techniques and suggestions you might explore to practice better self-care.

  • Make time for exercise – even ten minutes at a time. The benefits to your physical and mental health cascade and increase your capacity to find resilience and strength. Go for a short walk, get up and stretch, or dance to your favourite song.
  • Get everyone involved in preparations. You don’t have to take care of everything on your own. Introduce more collaborative approaches to living and daily routines so one person doesn’t feel weighed down with responsibilities.

These approaches are beneficial because they:

  • share knowledge and life skills,
  • boost confidence, and
  • introduces or increases independence, responsibility, and accountability.

References

1. Science Daily (2019 October 30). For teens, multitasking makes them feel better – and worse:  Study finds positive emotions affect subsequent actions. Science Daily. Retrieved June 19, 2023 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191030151514.htm

2. Moghimi, E., Stephenson, C., Gutierrez, G. et al. Mental health challenges, treatment experiences, and care needs of post-secondary students: a cross-sectional mixed-methods study. BMC Public Health 23, 655 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15452-x

3. Brightline team (2023 March 10). 9 tips for talking to kids & teens about mental health. [Blog] Brightline. Retrieves June 19, 2023 from https://www.hellobrightline.com/blog/9-tips-for-talking-to-kids-and-teens-about-mental-health

4. Ibid.