On May 22nd Rotary Whyte Avenue member and psychiatric professional, Alfonso Ceccherini-Nelli MD, shared some facts and insights regarding the state of Mental Health in Canada.
Alfonso highlighted a couple of surprising statistics; in an average year, 1 in 5 Canadians will personally experience a mental health problem and 50% of Canadians will have had some form of mental illness by the time they are 40.
When not adequately treated mental illness can take a significant toll. First, and most obvious, is the suffering endured by those with the disorder and their families. There is also the considerable impact those with more debilitating forms of mental illness can have on our social assistance programs, medical institutions and correctional facilities. The cost of lost productivity and engagement far outstrips the investment required to provide assistance in a timely manner.
One practical low-cost support program described by Alfonso involved Befriending Interventions. Befriending Interventions are situations where volunteers interact with individuals with mental health issues in a nonjudgemental way, allowing the person to express them self and hopefully drawing on interests that will put their condition in a different perspective.
For more information, assistance or to donate to the Canadian Mental Health Association go to http://edmonton.cmha.ca/