Mental health has become less of something people talk about in hushed tones behind closed doors these days.
As understanding grows, more people are beginning to recognize that mental wellness is another aspect of overall health - an important one at that - which is why conversations are now happening everywhere and for all age groups.
Before December Mitford School highlighted a project that aimed at providing students with engaging activities and spaces to decompress, allowing for a healthier learning environment.
Over the weekend, the Cochrane Chaos for the second year hosted its Owen Moore Memorial Game raising money for the Calgary Distress Centre, in the memory of Moore who took his own life in 2017. Aside from raising supporting the centre's resources the game keeps mental wellness top of mind, especially as it pertains to youth.
Long over due are supports for those charged with protecting our society. First responders such as police officers, emergency medical personnel and our military servicepeople and veterans.
These people, who are put into dangerous, bloody and stressful situations on a daily basis, are statistically twice as likely to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A Canadian study conducted between 2016 and 2017 also found that more than 44 per cent of 5,300 people surveyed working in emergency response reported suffering from a mental health issue. That statistically alarming when compared to fact the general population has a 10 per cent rate of mental disorder.
While emergency responders do have on-the-job support for mental health, Dan Irvine, a medical responder himself and operator of Sheepdog Lodge, a wellness retreat for first responders, says community supports are lacking.
That is why he and other like minds have been working on bringing awareness to mental health issue among their peers and creating supports such as the All-In Coin Program and the new exercise space in Cochrane exclusive to first responders.
The goal is to generate more awareness and help shine a light on mental health issues in order to provide the intervention needed to save lives.
While this is important across all demographics, there is a greater need when it comes to emergency personnel. The nature of their jobs often segregates them from the general public for a variety of reasons. Among those are the need for confidentiality and public insensitivity.
There are many who take a callous attitude towards emergency responders believing they should "suck it up" and do their jobs or level a great deal of criticism toward them.
Mental health is a community responsibility and that means working to help build each other up. Unfortunately, especially in the confines of social media it has become far too easy for people to tear each other down.
Sometimes all it takes to save a life is a kind word and an open ear.
