14 Ways to Quit Drinking and Live a Healthier Life
General Health, Mental HealthDo you feel like your drinking may have gotten out of control? Have you been thinking that it might be time to quit drinking? Maybe you’re tired of feeling hungover. Perhaps you want to have more energy. Or maybe your loved ones are worried…
Strength in connection: how peer support can change lives
Mental HealthMental illness can be an incredibly isolating experience. Many individuals struggle with feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Stigma also contributes to fear of judgement or misunderstanding, leading people to withdraw from friends and…
VIDEO: The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong
Mental Health
The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong from TEDx Talks
VIDEO: Why alcohol belongs in the mental health conversation
Mental Health
Why alcohol belongs in the mental health conversation from TEDx Talks
VIDEO: Psychiatrist Answers Mental Health Questions From Twitter
Mental Health
Psychiatrist Answers Mental Health Questions From Twitter from WIRED
CAMH Releases New E-cigarette Use Guidance and Recommendations
Mental HealthThe Innovation, Nicotine and Tobacco, Research, Education Programming, Implementation and Digital Health Lab (INTREPID Lab) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), has released a new toolkit describing the health impacts of e-cigarettes…
Overdose Prevention
Mental HealthWhat is an overdose?
Overdose occurs when someone takes one or more drugs in a quantity or combination that exceeds what their body can handle. Overdose can happen with many types of drugs, including those used recreationally, bought…
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Mental HealthFrightening, painful or distressing experiences happen to everyone at some point. It’s when these experiences cause disruptions to our usual functioning that we refer to them as traumatic. Our responses to trauma vary; we might feel nervous,…
VIDEO: What causes addiction, and why is it so hard to treat?
General Health, Mental Health
What causes addiction, and why is it so hard to treat? from TED-Ed.
VIDEO: Mental health and resilience – the secrets of inner strength
Mental Health
Mental health and resilience - the secrets of inner strength from DW Documentary.
A Call to Be Kind: Self-Compassion
Mental HealthThe practice of self-compassion: What is it?
We may not always have control over the events and emotions that unfold in our day-to-day lives. Yet, what is within our control is how we view difficult situations and engage with our thoughts and…
Alcohol Detox: A Guide To Detoxification & Withdrawal Symptoms
General Health, Mental HealthDetox from alcohol can be a complicated process, but before you can recover from alcohol addiction, you need to get all the alcohol out of your system. The alcohol withdrawal timeline can vary, and how long it takes to get alcohol out of your…
VIDEO: The Social Connection Series: Imad’s Story
Mental Health
The Social Connection Series: Imad's Story from World Health Organization.
New generation. New treatment options.
Mental HealthTeresa Bansen, Director, Quality and Patient Experience at Edgewood Health Network sheds some light on what’s troubling young people – and where they can find help.
Recent findings by the Mental Health Commission of Canada found that…
Managing Grief
Mental HealthLoss is one of life’s most stressful events. It takes time to heal, and everyone responds differently. We may need help to cope with the changes in our lives. Grief is part of being human, but that doesn’t mean we have to go through the…
10 Ways to Support Your Mental Health in 2024
Mental HealthThese simple and proven strategies will help you manage stress and find meaning in the new year.
Since the height of the pandemic, there has been a cultural shift in the way we talk about mental health. It’s as though the years of isolation…
VIDEO: The Difference Between Moral Injury & PTSD
Mental Health
The Difference Between Moral Injury & PTSD from EHN Canada.
VIDEO: Barriers to Mental Health & Addiction Treatment
Mental Health
Barriers to Mental Health & Addiction Treatment from EHN Canada.
What is Emotional Literacy? Understand Your Emotions, Understand Yourself
Mental HealthEmotions play a huge role in our lives, our actions and our relationships. Yet, most of us know surprisingly little about what they are, how we experience them and why we have them in the first place. Some psychologists might say we’re…
Hope for Older Adults with Treatment-Resistant Depression
Mental HealthThe largest study of treatment-resistant depression in older adults has found that augmenting commonly used antidepressants with the antipsychotic drug aripiprazole can induce remission of depressive symptoms in 30 per cent of patients.
The…
Recognizing and Managing Stress
Mental HealthWhat is stress?
Stress is something we all experience. When we talk about being stressed, we are referring to a mental state of worry and anxiety. This is usually a result of being exposed to a stressor (a perceived threat, harm or event).
Stress…
Uncovering the Faces of Anxiety
Mental HealthAround three million Canadians have an anxiety disorder. One in four will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.[1]
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common types of mental health disorders in Canada. They have…
Navigating Parenthood with a Mental Illness
Mental HealthAs a parent, it’s common to experience stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed at times. But these challenges can get amplified for parents also managing a mental illness. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder before the birth of my children.…
Mental Health in Media and the Power of Positive Portrayals
Mental HealthEntertainment and media can influence us in many ways, both positively and negatively, and how mental illnesses are portrayed through these media has the power to potentially heal – or harm – an audience.
For the past eight years, Au…
Alcohol Addiction: 6 Steps to Self-Intervention
Mental HealthIf you’ve been struggling with addiction to alcohol, you may not know what steps to take to acknowledge and deal with the problem. In many cases, people take their first steps toward recovery when a loved one stages an intervention for them.
What…
5 Tips for Starting a Conversation with Your Friend About Mental Health
Mental HealthIt can be challenging to talk about mental health with friends and loved ones, as there is often a fear of being judged or misunderstood. In this post, I will share five tips for starting a conversation with your friend about their mental health.
Why…
Recovery Takes Resilience
Mental HealthResiliency is close to the heart of what is needed to get sober and to stay sober. And Shawn C., an alum of EHN Canada’s Bellwood Treatment Centre, knows a thing or two about resiliency.
He learned a lot about along the bumpy life path…
Understanding Brain Health and its Connection to Mental Well-Being
Mental HealthThe brain is one of the most complex and fascinating parts of the human body. It is responsible for all functions of the body including how we move, communicate, make decisions and interpret our surroundings. Our brain also processes our thoughts,…
Toxic Positivity: Four Ways to Combat It
Mental HealthThere is a misconception that being mentally healthy means being happy all the time. The expressions are well-known: keep your chin up, or your upper lip stiff. Who hasn’t heard the advice: when life hands you lemons, make lemonade?
We’re…
Coping with Grief and Loss
Mental HealthOne of the most traumatic and difficult events we can experience is the death of someone we know.
News of a death can cause intense emotions. Even if the loss is not a surprise (due to illness), it can feel shocking. Grieving is the period…
Organizations with Additional Mental Health Resources
Canadian Mental Health Association
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Disclaimer
The content of these blogs and articles is not meant to serve as professional medical advice. Please speak directly to a physician or licensed mental health professional if you have concerns about your mental health. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.