Keyword: mental health

Depression has long been more readily associated with women because, for some, “real men don’t get depressed”. This belief is addressed in an Australian initiative[1] to battle depression, which reflects an international trend: health promotion campaigns that challenge traditional male norms. Why? For the simple reason that men who are more traditional and rigid in […]

The promotion of physical activity is a top priority in public health. It is now recognized that physical activity improves the overall health of individuals and reduces the risk of several chronic physical illnesses. Studies have recently confirmed the positive impact that physical activity has on mental health. Clinical trials even show the effectiveness of physical activity in the treatment of depression. In terms of mental health promotion and the prevention of common mental disorders among the population in general, the regular practice of physical activity is associated with an improved quality of life and mental well-being, as well as a reduced level of anxiety, depressive symptoms and stress.

Young people making the transition to adulthood are a population at risk of developing mental health problems. The statistics are striking: those aged 15 to 24 have the highest prevalence of psychological distress, anxiety or depressive disorders, drug and alcohol related disorders and eating disorders. Suicide ranks second as a cause of death for this age group. The scope of these problems is reaching college (CEGEP) students. Initiatives launched in recent years have aimed at supporting these emergent clienteles, particularly young people with mental disorders and learning disabilities. To support the health needs and well-being of young people, the ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) published in 2010, the Cadre de référence pour soutenir la collaboration entre les centres de santé et de services sociaux (CSSS) et les collèges publics du Québec (Framework to support cooperation between CSSSs and public colleges in Quebec).

Mental health services are increasingly recognizing the key roles that primary care play in delivering mental health care in almost every community in Canada, and the importance of building collaborative partnerships to optimise these roles. Achieving this enables services to use their respective resources more efficiently, improve access to needed mental health and addiction services, better coordinate care, and improve the experience for the person seeking or receiving care for a mental health and addiction problem.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is taking concerted action to transform the Canadian mental health landscape.

The Commission was created in 2007 following the most extensive consultations on mental health and mental illness ever conducted in Canada, during which thousands of people from coast to coast voiced their desire for a better mental health system.

People with mental health problems come to us seeking care on a daily basis. Complex issues and overcoming challenges are inevitable, therefore it is unrealistic to take on the task alone. Facing these issues effectively involves taking into account countless biopsychosocial factors and mastering very diverse specialized skills in interpersonal, diagnostic, therapeutic, social and community fields. Many clinicians have experienced the effectiveness of collaborating with various partners within their local network. In the context of a special report reviewing the literature on the effectiveness of collaborative mental health care in the treatment of depression, we will examine its daily clinical advantages experienced by both the population and clinicians.

As part of a scientific review on effective interventions in mental health promotion and mental disorder prevention, the INSPQ (2008) proposes a conceptual model for assessing the relevance of measures that can be implemented to promote health and prevent mental disorders.

Until the 1960s, the majority of mental health problems were treated in mental hospitals. Operating essentially as a daycare service, they often took in several thousand “patients”, and offered very little in structured treatments. However, things changed very quickly as a result of several factors: the introduction of antipsychotics, the development of medical specialization programs in psychiatry and, above all, patients’ criticisms regarding their living conditions in these hospitals.

Quebec is committed to disseminating effective promotion and prevention practices in the school context. For over five years, through an intersectoral approach, Healthy Schools, partners in education and health have been asked to work together interdependently and collaboratively to reinforce actions that will support youth throughout their development.

Mental health is the capacity of individuals and groups to interact with one another and the environment in ways that promote subjective well-being, optimal development and the use of cognitive, affective and relational abilities. This definition focuses on the fact that mental health is not limited to the absence of disease, but is a positive state.