Commentaries, Mental Health
Defusing the ticking time bomb that can be postpartum depressionRecently a distraught young mother from British Columbia took her own life while in the grip of postpartum depression, leaving behind a grieving husband and infant son. She was a Registered Nurse and had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety. Tragically, the health care system she worked for was unable to help her.
Funding community-based programs can help reduce male suicideJason was in Grade 5 when he started having feelings for other boys. Because of those feelings he was called names, beaten up in school and even sexually assaulted. Since high school, Jason has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. He has also survived a suicide attempt.
It’s time to invest in a comprehensive Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy at provincial and national levelsMental illness is the most common illness experienced by children and teens in Canada.
Assisted suicide for those with mental illness a risky propositionWho but those who have experienced it can appreciate the soul crushing anguish of mental illness? Afflictions of the mind can be paralyzing and fundamentally change the way we perceive ourselves (I am worthless), anticipate the future (my prospects are hopeless), and experience the world (life is unfair and unforgiving). The combination of self-loathing, hopelessness and despair can tragically lead to suicide.
Five ways we can reduce suicides in CanadaThe death of comedian Robin Williams last month sparked a worldwide discussion about suicide, its underlying causes and how it might be prevented.
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This free ebook is a compilation of the EvidenceNetwork.ca commentaries published in major newspapers in 2015, written by experts in the health policy field.
By Vivian Tam and Jacqueline Carverhill
A call to the emergency room announced that the ambulance was on its way. Joey, a middle-aged oilfield worker, was experiencing a suspected toxic ingestion of the opioid, fentanyl.