Strategies & Support

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Self-Care Strategies to improve your Mental Health

1.  Sleep Well: Lack of sleep is heavily associated with poor mental health. Some scholars say that poor mental health is caused by poor sleep and others say that poor sleep is caused by poor mental health. It is a fact that a good night’s sleep is a pillar of good physical and mental health. Some strategies to have a healthy and good sleep are to eat a light dinner, to have a good gap between your last meal and sleep time, to follow the sleeping schedule, not to go to bed very late and not to use any technology at least an hour before sleep. 

2.  Eat Healthy: The food we eat is responsible for good and bad health. Our physical health mostly depends upon what we eat. Type 2 diabetes, Heart issues due to high cholesterol, low or high blood pressure, thyroid and even many cancers are caused due to unhealthy diet.  Many chronic and terminal illnesses are caused by the unhealthy food and eating habits. When those diseases are identified, they affect general life and then those conditions affect mental health, causing anxiety and stress. A well-balanced meal including protein, healthy non-saturated fats, fibre and some simple carbohydrates should all be represented in our meals.

3.  Exercise: It has been said that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Exercise is the key component to keep the body healthy. People in general think that going to the gym every day is the only way to exercise, which is not true. Any physical activity that exerts the body and increases the heart rate is called exercise. Running, brisk walking, yoga are some other forms of exercises that could be of benefit but the key is regularity. Patients suffering from mental health illnesses have been shown to have many positive effects through thirty minutes of exercise of moderate intensity.

4. Enhance Self respect: We find critics at home as well as at work. Some times people critique us to make fun of us or to let us feel inferior but some times we face constructive criticism, which is intended to help us to become a better version of us. The first kind of criticism is derogatory and is not good for our health. Some times we ourselves becomes our biggest critic and keep on finding fault in ourselves. It not only takes away the self-confidence but also creates a negative attitude towards life. One should avoid being that kind of personality and should have pride in him. 

5.  Practice letting go: We encounter people all the time. Many times we do have situations, which are not according to how we wanted them to be. Some people do and say things to us, which are not pleasant, and we feel angry. Resolving the unpleasant situation amicably is important but reliving the same situation again and again in mind is very bad for mental health. By reliving those unpleasant experiences we constantly live in the state of anger. Mark Twain said that, “anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything to which it is poured”

6.  Stay hydrated: Drinking enough water helps our body relax and makes our brain function better. When you feel anxious or overwhelmed, a glass of water can help you calm down and give you relief. Staying hydrated also helps in overall physical, psychological and emotional well-being.

7.  Take a break: Sometimes it is beneficial to break the routine and take a break to reset ourselves mentally and emotionally. It might be a change of pace, a change of scene or even just taking a pause from all the things that we are doing automatically in our lives. 

8.  Meditate: Grounding ourselves, practicing mindfulness or following a specific meditation technique are all very strategies to reorient and relax our mind. Deep breathing is a good anchor for meditation. It helps to take our mind off of our worries and focus on what is most important — being alive and healthy.

9.  Express yourself: Sometimes it helps to express your feelings instead of keeping them bottled up inside yourself. You can talk about them with someone, write them in a journal or even express yourself through art.

10. Release the tension: Getting a massage, taking a hot shower, listening to calming music, spending time in nature, drinking a relaxing tea — are all very good ways to relieve the tension in your body and improve your mental health.

Lifestyle Choices

1. Get Involved: Isolation is a leading cause of mental health issues in North America. It is very important to be surrounded by good company. It could be family, friends or your community. There is an old saying that “man is a social animal” which means that we need to be involved with the society to live our life at it’s fullest. Therefore it is very important to go to community events, your place of worship, other social gatherings and interact with people who have similar interests and hobbies. These activities leave a great impact on your mental wellbeing. 

2.  Volunteering: It is basic human nature to live for their own well-being. We go for jobs, eat, exercise, sleep and do many activities to nourish and nurture ourselves.  Volunteering is an activity performed with the intention of wellbeing of others and without any self-interest.  Caring for others gives us a sense of fulfillment and makes us feel good about ourselves. It provides a sense of purpose and self–confidence. By supporting others you feel supported yourself. This gives a boost to your sense of wellbeing.

3.  Make Realistic Goals: We all have different psychological, intellectual and physical strengths. We are supposed to live our life according to our strength. If we try to do something beyond our strength level, it could cause breakdown and could become a potential reason for poor mental health. Realistic goal-setting is vital to avoid this problem.

One way to do this is to make SMART goals in life. Whether the goals are short term or long term but they should always be “SMART”, which is an acronym for the following characteristics:

“S” Specific: One should have a clear idea that what do they want to achieve. Confusing, vague goals are not helpful.

“M” Measurable: One should have a clear yardstick to measure the progress they make throughout their journey to achieve the goal 

“A” Achievable: As mentioned earlier, we all have different strengths. So the goal we set for ourselves should be aligned to the strengths, making it achievable for us.

“R” Realistic: Although one should aim high but at the same time we should be realistic. Once we are reasonable about our talents, strengths and resources then we are left with less chances of making unrealistic goals. 

“T” Timely: As a seed sowed in the ground takes its own course of time to blossom and give its fruit, similarly each and every goal requires time to get fulfilled. We have to ensure that we designate appropriate time as required.

4.  Focus on Needs: We are living in a world of consumerism and materialism. There are thousands of products and brands around us. If we want to buy one item there are tons of options and variety available. Living in a culture of shopping malls, advertisements and massive sales, it is very easy to fall under the trap of wanting more and more things. Most of these things are not our needs, but simply desires.

We should definitely work towards fulfilling our needs, whether it is food, clothing, shelter, mode of travel or other requisite items. But we should also pause to evaluate from time to time whether we are running to acquire more and more things based on our ‘wants’. Research tells that the more you have the more worried you are.  The energy, time and resources spent on buying the unnecessary items can lead to anxiety, stress and unrest even though it gives some instant gratification at the time of purchase/accumulation.

5.  Develop a hobby: Most people spend much of their time at their jobs. In North American culture, all adults in a family are expected to work until a certain age. 

Workplaces are very demanding and productivity-focused. It is hard to enjoy and have fun at work as less freedom is given for one’s own thoughts and creativity. The specific procedures and practices given by the management have to be followed. Usually there are supervisors to monitor and to get the job done that has been assigned to the worker. It leaves no room for people to feel relaxed and fully comfortable at workplaces. Many studies have revealed that the work environment is among the leading cause of stress and anxiety in people. 

To deal with this problem it is very important to get involved in something which you enjoy and which gives you pleasure. One should have a hobby and should regularly pursue that hobby. Once we engage in an activity of our choice and enjoy that activity, then neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin are released in our body, which fight depression and anxiety.

6.  Socialization choices: Sometimes socialization is healthy for us, while at other times, it is more important for us to take the time for ourselves instead of socializing. It also depends on who we are socializing with. If our social circle is adding to our stress, we should work on re-evaluating it. 

7.  Evaluate your habits: Some habits place an additional stress on our well-being in addition to the stressors already existing in our environment. Some of these habits could include smoking, alcohol consumption, workaholic behaviours, sedentary lifestyle, watching too much television, regularly eating junk food etc. If you are feeling mentally unhealthy, it might be time to cut down on some of these habits and replacing them with alternatives that are healthier.

Seeking medical or other professional help is a good idea for persistent mental health problems. You can always start with asking your family doctor for advice. He or she can assess you to see if specific referrals to specialists are needed. Some professionals that can help to deal with issues related to mental health include:

Psychiatrists:

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have received specialized training in diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. 

Psychiatrists can provide the following two services. 

1.  Psychotherapy

2.  Medication treatment

A physician gives the referral for the Psychiatrist. If someone is in need of a Psychiatrist the person has to go to his or her family doctor first. Psychiatrists either work in hospitals or they have their own private practice. Some Psychiatrists also work in Mental Health Agencies.  Psychiatrists are registered with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). The services of Psychiatrists are covered under Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).  

Psychologists: 

A psychologist holds a master’s and/or doctoral degree in psychology. The education and training is in but not limited to the one of the following fields:

·  Clinical psychology

·  Counselling psychology

·  Clinical neuropsychology 

·  Educational/school psychology

Psychologists provide counselling services for the people dealing with mental health challenges. Psychologists cannot prescribe medication. They work at hospitals, mental health agencies, and school boards and often work with inter-professional teams. Psychologists also provide evidence based psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness based Cognitive therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Compassion Focussed therapy (CFT).  

Psychologists are registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. The services of Psychologists are usually not covered under Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). 

Counsellors and therapists 

Counsellors and therapists are usually professionals with Masters and/or doctoral degree in Social worker. Social workers provide psychological counselling, but cannot prescribe medication. Social workers are also placed in Hospitals, School Boards, and mental health agencies and also have private practice. 

Social workers are registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). The services provided by Social workers are not covered under Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). 

Supports and services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) community:

Many agencies offer services and programs that support individuals with specific mental health needs. Some of these agencies cater to certain demographical groups, while others provide general services. Going to a local Newcomer Information Centre can give you the names of agencies within your area. Some specific agencies are as follows:

Women Oriented Supports

Massey Centre: Massey Centre is a client-centered infant and early childhood mental health organization, which supports pregnant and parenting adolescents, aged 13-25 and their babies who reside at the Centre or in the community.

Website: www.massey.ca

South Asian Women’s Centre:  This centre Runs a wellness group for women in partnership project with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the City of Toronto. The purpose of the wellness group is to help the South Asian women with young children who may be feeling stress, isolation and/or depression and have other mental health issues. 

Website: www.sawc.org

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands: Women’s Health in Women’s Hands has mental health services that provides counselling services having a feminist, woman-centred approach to including short-term counselling, group sessions and workshops. 

Website: www.whiwh.com

Men Oriented supports:

Canadian Centre for Men and Families: Canadian centre for men and families provides a broad range of programs including workshops, mentorship, advice, support and discussion groups, as well as individual, peer and family counselling.

Website: www.menandfamilies.org

Fathers Mental Health: Fathers Mental Health has a goal to provide the best mental health care for fathers in pursuit of healthy families. This agency has strong belief that treating mental illness in fathers will also improve the well-being of their children. 

Website: www.fathersmentalhealth.com

Men Therapy Toronto: Men Therapy Toronto offers individual counselling and therapy services for men in Toronto, Ontario (Greater Toronto Area). This organization’s goal is to help men live a meaningful, authentic life based on their individual situations and needs.

Website: https://mentherapytoronto.com

Supports for Specific Groups/ Families

Canadian Centre for Victims of torture: CCVT is a community-based organization that provides treatment, tools and support to the refugees who are victims of torture, war, genocide and crimes against humanity. 

Website: www.ccvt.org

Family Services of Peel: This organization provides residents of the Peel region many mental health services including professional counselling, trauma intervention, support for people with developmental disabilities and their families, as well as support for victims of violence and abuse.

Website: https://fspeel.org/

Hong Fook Mental Health Association: Hong Fook Mental Health Association has an Asian community Psychiatric clinic. The Asian Community Psychiatric Clinic provides ethno-specific assessment and consultation to the clients of the East and Southeast Asian communities (Cambodian, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese). Program consultations are also offered to agencies serving these populations.

Website: www.hongfook.ca

Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS): The organization provides health, settlement and social services to diverse communities within Peel Region. Their Mental Health program provides assistance and support to clients who are dealing with problems related to mental health illness.

Website: http://pchs4u.com/

Stella’s Place — Young Adult Mental Health: This organization caters to young adults in Toronto, aged 16 to 29, who are experiencing mental health challenges to supports such as 

peer supports, clinical, online, employment, wellness, and recovery services as well as opportunities to explore their creative self through studio programs.

Website: https://stellasplace.ca/

Tangerine Walk-In Counselling: This is a free service for children and youth up to 18 years of age and their families. Tangerine Walk-In Counselling is only available to residents of the Region of Peel.

Website: http://www.tangerinewalkin.com/

The 519: The 519 provides Trauma Informed Counselling, Drop-in Counselling, One –on –one and group counselling to individuals belong to LGBT community who are over 16 years of age. 

Website: www.519.org