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Self-Care Tips for Coping with Anxiety During Uncertain Times
The arrival of the pandemic came as a surprise. The world changed overnight. People were suddenly becoming fatally ill due to a virus that no one had ever heard of. One day we’re living our normal daily lives, and the next, we’re locked away at home. It’s hard enough going through isolation, but it’s even harder when you’re dealing with mental health issues. The Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking Poll conducted a study in the middle of June, that showed in the US alone, 53% of adults reported their mental health has suffered due to stress toward the coronavirus. Now imagine the number when we think about the whole world. Dealing…
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Things to Do If Your Child Tells You They Have Anxiety
So, your child has opened up to you about feelings of anxiousness and you’re wondering where to go from here. You want to be understanding and compassionate to your child, but you don’t want to reinforce their fears and continue the anxious cycle. While every child is different and the specific cause of their anxiety might alter the way it is dealt with, this list is a good starting point for parents that have little to no experience with anxiety in children. Thank Them for Trusting You While parents and children should constantly practice being both grateful and apologetic to each other when necessary, thanking your child is never more…
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Bell Let’s Talk
Bell Let’s Talk is admittedly the most well-known campaign to assist with mental health awareness. In the spirit of encouraging conversation, I sat down with Ashley Posluns and Ethan Lipson to discuss the details you may not already know about. What do you know about Bell Let’s Talk? Ashley: This campaign is now in its sixth year of supporting mental health initiatives in Canada. On a specified day in January, any text message sent and local or long distance phone call made by Bell cellular service customers’ results in 5 cents being donated to many large and small mental health organizations. Non-Bell customers can still participate by tweeting with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk or…
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5 Books about Mental Illness
Mental illness is something that affects many people, either directly or through someone they know. The Canadian Mental Health Association states that 20% of Canadians will experience mental illness personally. With schizophrenia and bipolar disorder each affecting 1% of the population, anxiety disorders affecting 5%, and depression affecting 8% of the adult population and 17% of the youth population (aged 12 to 19), mental illnesses are getting more attention. This fact is shown in the amount of novels published about various mental illnesses. Though there are many books you can read that will give you some perspective on what it may be like to live with a mental illness, these…
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How to Survive Post-Holiday Depression
All of December is spent preparing for the holidays. And let’s face it: it can be too much. Our efforts go towards planning and organizing holiday dinners and parties. We spend more than we can afford on gifts and decorations. We see family and friends day after day. But after all the hype and adrenaline has run out, what’s left? In a short few hours, all of that time, money and socialization is gone. If you’re anything like the 20% of Canadians who experience anxiety, then you’re struggling to get through the last few days before work or school resume. Here are some strategies to get you through until your…
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Anxiety 101
Why it’s important to understand this common disorder.