World Mental Health Day

The following story discusses mental health, mental illness, suicide and related experiences. For those needing support, please refer to our available community support resources.

 

Oct. 10 marks World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness of mental health and mobilize efforts to support mental well-being around the world. This year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” calls to create meaningful engagement and opportunities for those with lived experience to influence decisions, co-design services, challenge stigma and strengthen accountability.

According to the Government of Canada, mental health can be defined as “the state of your psychological and emotional well-being.” Mental health exists on a spectrum and is experienced differently by each of us. It can be positively or negatively influenced by many factors, including our life experiences, physical health, relationships, environment and access to support.

Did you know?

Mental health and mental illness are not the same thing. Mental health refers to a state of one’s well-being such as our emotions, feelings of connection and being able to manage life’s highs and lows. Everyone has mental health, whether or not they experience a mental illness.

One in five people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. Mental health challenges can affect people of all ages and backgrounds.

Depression and anxiety have a significant impact on people around the world. An estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety.

Suicide continues to be a serious public health concern in Canada. It disproportionately impacts First Nations and Inuit Peoples, and men experience higher rates of suicide mortality.

Support on campus

At Mount Royal University, employees have access to a range of resources, programs and opportunities designed to support mental health and well-being throughout the year. Employee Wellness offers health promotion opportunities for all employees in the MRU community. The common thread between events is to provide you with a variety of supports to keep yourself healthy across all dimensions of wellness.

This fall, there are still spots available in sessions where employees can explore journaling and creativity as tools for reflection, self-expression and mental health.

Creative projects to support mental health: BUJO JUJO

Register for this hands-on workshop combining the structured productivity of bullet journaling (BUJO) with the imaginative freedom of junk journaling (JUJO). Participants will learn techniques for task organization, habit tracking and goal setting, while also exploring creative collaging, layering textures and personal expression.

Whether you are looking for a new way to organize your goals, document memories or simply enjoy a creative outlet, this session offers an opportunity to slow down and get creative. All materials are provided, although participants are welcome to bring their own mementos, scrapbook supplies or other personal items.

The benefits of journaling for mental health

Journaling can be a meaningful way to process experiences, reflect on goals and create space for personal expression. Register for this session that explores the benefits of journaling for mental health and introduces a variety of approaches and mediums.

No previous writing or creative experience is required. Whether you are interested in processing everyday experiences, reflecting on what matters to you or simply trying something new, this session will offer practical ways to incorporate journaling into your life.

GreenShield Health

Employees and their eligible dependents can also access support for their mental health and well-being through GreenShield Health, our Employee Family Assistance Program provider.

GreenShield Health offers:

• Counselling support: Access counselling services within 72 hours, either online or in person;
• Personalized therapist matching: Select a counsellor based on your needs and preferences, including clinical experience, cultural fit, language, religion and availability;
• Continuity of care: Those who wish to continue seeing their therapist after their sponsored hours have been used can stay with their therapist at a reduced rate;
• A wide range of experts: Access registered nurses, dietitians, coaches and other trained professionals to help navigate different aspects of life and achieve personal goals.

Mental health supports from the Healthy Campus Team

Mental health is our emotional and psychological well-being.

It is what impacts our feelings, thoughts, moods and actions. Our mental health plays a role in how we enjoy life, navigate challenges and connect with others. Mental health affects many parts of our lives and at the same time, those areas also shape our mental health.

Sometimes we have control over the factors affecting our mental health, while other times our control is limited, especially when it comes to things like gender, age, race, ability, sexuality, trauma, socioeconomic status, or access to health services.

That said, there are many aspects of our lives that we can influence. The Healthy Campus Team likes to support students in focusing on things that they can do to support themselves. A great amount of our work centres around sharing information and ideas with students that could be used to positively impact their mental health.

Things you can do now to support your mental health:

• Our Mini Mental Health Primer is a self-paced D2L course for the MRU community to learn more about their mental health in a reflective and interactive format. You can self-enroll in the course here.
• Students can access many different free mental health supports right here on campus! We recognize that needs surrounding support can be different. Counsellors, Mental Health Nurses, Mental Health Doctors and our After-Hours Peer Support Centre are all here to support students in their specific mental health needs. Learn more about these different services.
• The Healthy Campus Team recognizes the connected role of community in our mental health experiences. We offer training like ASIST and our self-paced START certificate so individuals can grow their capacity to support others.
• Students who are looking to explore movement and nutrition as tools to support their mental health can participate in our yearly Steps to Well-Being program, where they receive access to free personal training sessions, free dietitian sessions and community support.
• Following the @MRULiveWell Instagram page is a great way to learn about all our upcoming programming designed to support mental well-being like our annual Mental Health Matters week.

Taking care of your mental health

Taking care of your mental health can look different for everyone. Small actions such as resting, connecting with others, doing something you enjoy or taking time to reflect can support your overall well-being. If you need additional support, reaching out to someone you trust or accessing available resources can be an important step.

Additional supports and engagement opportunities

• How to help someone in crisis
• Crisis supports on and off campus
• Suicide: Know the signs
• Making social connections
• CCDI Knowledge Repository: Access articles, toolkits, guides and other resources to support learning about mental health, inclusion, belonging and well-being.
• Oct. 5: Speed Friending!
• Oct. 13: ASIST - Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training