You may have seen one of the following headlines over the past few days:
Does this mean therapists should recommend dark chocolate to their clients?
Not quite.
Need someone to talk to or know someone who does?
Drop by the West-End Peer Support Group (Drop-in)! This group is a general mood support group facilitated by trained peer volunteers from the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, and it’s free of charge and completely anonymous. This group is open to anyone 14-65 years of age and meets of the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Jane Street Hub (starting September 2019).
Topics discussed include: depression, anxiety, low mood ETC
1541 Jane Street
Toronto, ON M9N 2R3
Mental Health First Aid Basic is a 12-hour course that discusses a variety of mental disorders. Crisis first aid skills for the following situations are learned: Substance overdose, Suicidal behaviour, Panic attack, Acute stress reaction, Psychotic episode. Explanations of mental health, mental illness and mental health problems are discussed.
This highly interactive, practice-dominated 2 day workshop is intended for anyone 16 years or older who wish to be better prepared to aid individuals at risk of suicide
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Overcoming addiction and depression Michelle has co-founded The Drive Foundation in support for Mental health # hashtag#mentalhealth and Addiction
Rossana -
The common belief among medical professionals is that depression only happens in western countries. Now, researchers have found strong evidence that depression is "a fundamental human experience."
The long hours of fasting for Ramadan can be challenging but what's it like when you're doing it with mental health issues?
Not eating food or drinking water makes each hour of the day harder for Maryam, who also writes as Maz Halima. But something else adds to the struggle - her depression and anxiety.
So what does a day look like for her during Ramadan? We wake up with Maryam at 2am, meet an imam, and find out why she thinks it's worth it.
Twitter users with depression and anxiety were found to be more likely to post pictures with lower aesthetic values and less vivid colors, particularly images in grayscale, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn Medicine. Additionally, they found that users tended to suppress positive emotions rather than outwardly display more negative emotions, such as keeping a straight face instead of outright frowning, in their profile pictures.
Check out The Agenda last night for a timely discussion of the potential impact of proposed alcohol policy changes in Ontario. As Pegeen Walsh, OPHA's Executive Director shared, we need to work together to ensure the health impacts are part of the conversation.
Please like, comment, and share this tweet from @AlcoholPolicyON (OPHA Alcohol WG):
Recently, many medical researchers have pushed for a greater understanding of poop, and have made some startling discoveries. Many of our health problems are related to damaged or missing gut bacteria; the solution may lie in transplanting healthy bacteria into a "sick" person. Listen to this podcast to learn more about fecal transplants (20 minutes)!
A machine learning algorithm can detect signs of anxiety and depression in the speech patterns of young children, potentially providing a fast and easy way of diagnosing conditions that are difficult to spot and often overlooked in young people. If undiagnosed, they can lead to an increased risk of substance abuse and suicide later in life.
People who don't give up on their goals (or who get better over time at not giving up on their goals) and who have a positive outlook appear to have less anxiety and depression and fewer panic attacks, according to a study of thousands of Americans over the course of 18 years. Surprisingly, a sense of control did not have an effect on the mental health of participants across time.
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The CBT Group for anxiety and depression is a short-term treatment approach. Its goal is to helps individuals become aware of their depressive or anxious thought patterns and behaviours. In each session, participants learn specific skills to help themselves feel better, cope with and manage their difficulties and decrease the risk of future relapse.
Participants of this CBT group for anxiety and depression will learn how to:
Angela -
CAN-BIND is hosting the 4th Annual Family & Friends Day. This year's theme is "Brain Health & Wellness in Depression". There will be presentations from the research and lived experience perspectives, information booths, free community resources and wellness workshops. This event is open to the public.
Register for this free event here.
Lived Experience Talks:
Ms. Kathryn Sutcliffe
Presentation Title: Hope is a Four Letter Word
Mr. John Stewart
Presentation Title: Studies and Experiments for Dummies!
Unison Health and Community Services will be hosting another Getting Grounded series!
Getting Grounded is a 6 week DBT informed group providing clients with a variety of tools and skills to manage the anxiety and stresses of everyday life. This group is ideal for clients looking to build relationships and enhance coping skills.
Facilitators Nate Freeman (Registered Social Worker) & Amanda Costa (Mental Health Outreach Worker) will be discussing topics such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and self-compassion.
Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. More than 300 million people around the world are now living with depression (WHO). Thankfully, international researchers are working on better understanding this important issue. Here are summaries and talking points from four brand-new studies on depression. Can you imagine how these research finding could inform your work?
Sounds like something you might come across in one of the Harry Potter series. However this newly established ministry was formed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May when she noticed the large scale of loneliness that was sweeping across the country.