“A state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community” –WHO.” (1)
Mental health is a concern for all, not just for those who have faced mental health concerns. If you have not personally struggled with mental health, it is likely that you know someone who has. According to WHO, at any given point in time, around 450 million people experience neurologic, behavioral or mental health issues (2). Statistics surrounding mental health are astounding and it is clear that much needs to be done to improve mental health-care delivery on a global scale. One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding mental health is that mental health issues are obvious and can be easily spotted. The reality is that a lot of the time, due to fear of judgement, embarrassment and/or stigma, people who have mental illness suffer silently. These factors also deter people from seeking resources and help. Although this is unfortunate, we believe that one of the most powerful and effective ways to change this is by increasing awareness and education.
The issues surrounding mental health are complex and multifaceted. Through our blog, we hope to provide some unique insight and perspectives to increase community education. We would also like to provide a safe and judgment free platform where individuals can share their experiences. Our overall goal is to improve overall knowledge and education, and reduce stigma surrounding mental health in communities in the Edmonton area.
This may be an outline for our mental health internship projects. Click on the link to see source.
References:
1. Mental health: a state of well-being [Internet]. updated 2014 Aug [cited 2015 Jul 9]. Available from: http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/
2. Farmer P, Rhatigan J. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine [internet]. 19e. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2015. Chapter 2, Global Issues in Medicine. [cited 2015 Jul 9]. Available from: http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/content.aspx?sectionid=63651436&bookid=1130&jumpsectionID=79722906&Resultclick=2&q=mental+health
