A pseudo-psychiatric diagnosis is being used by police and other first responders. Ketamine and other tactics are then being used to subdue a person. Police and first responders to mental health crises need more training. Mental health professionals and the police must collaborate on […]
Author: canadianguy
Daytime naps may be good for our brains, study says – CTV News [2023-06-20]
Taking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age, according to a new study. However, prior research has shown that excess napping can also be harmful. Habitual napping was linked with larger total brain volume, which is associated with a lower risk […]
London councillor called out by colleagues over light workload – CTV News [2023-06-21]
Simmering tensions about how the workload is being divided between councillors boiled over at city hall. On Tuesday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee was tasked with nominating two councillors to sit on the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority, and another to join the Lower […]
Why It Can be Hard to Get Pronouns Right, According to Linguistics – Mental Floss [2023-06-20]
It can happen to anyone: As you’re talking, you hear yourself say, “I heard that she—wait, I mean he!” A pronoun slip can be embarrassing, especially if you pride yourself on being generally good at using the language people have asked you to use. […]
Ontario the latest province to stop imprisoning migrants – CBC News [2023-06-16]
Ontario has joined seven other provinces in announcing it will no longer incarcerate migrants detained for administrative reasons in its provincial jails. Earlier this week, a Radio-Canada/CBC report revealed that Quebec and New Brunswick had ended their contracts with the Canada Border Services Agency […]
London police not doing enough to tackle systemic racism, policing expert says – CBC News [2023-06-16]
London police officials are not doing enough to analyze their own race-based use-of-force numbers to start tackling systemic racism within their organization, an expert in police data says. London police numbers crunched by researcher Tandeep Sidhu show Black people in the city experienced force […]
London’s opioid users say street drugs are getting stronger, cheaper and deadlier – CBC News [2023-06-16]
People who use fentanyl on the streets of London say the deadly opioid is becoming ever cheaper and more powerful, delivering higher highs, while simultaneously raising the risk of overdose death. Without widespread testing, there’s no way of knowing, but the city’s drug problem […]
Winnipeg man says he wanted federal prison sentence because of better addiction supports – CBC News [2023-06-15]
A Winnipeg man living with a cocaine addiction who has previously spent time in a provincial jail is back behind bars, this time in a federal penitentiary — and that’s what he wanted. Jason Walmsley, 34, told CBC in an interview inside the federal […]
Mental health ‘on the go’ coming to midwestern Ontario – CTV News [2023-06-13]
In a few weeks, a black van with tinted windows will be rolling into communities across midwestern Ontario, offering help for people dealing with everything from anxiety to addictions. “You’ll see the clinic doesn’t have any logos or any identification on it. We want […]
Abstinence not required: How a Baltimore drug treatment program prioritizes saving lives – CTV News [2023-06-11]
Anthony Kelly trudged through southwest Baltimore, each laboured footstep a reminder of the roofing accident that left him with chronic pain and a raging opioid addiction several years after he returned home from serving in the Marines. Doctors used metal plates to reconstruct his […]
Are drag queen storytimes worth fighting for? These people think so – CBC News [2023-06-07]
As pushback and protests continue over drag storytimes across Southwestern Ontario, advocates say making those experiences available is a way to teach understanding and accepting differences. Adam Davies, the co-chair of the Anti-Oppression Rainbow Research Lab at the University of Guelph — who is […]
Here’s how ‘code-switching’ can hurt Black, Indigenous people in Canada – CTV News [2023-06-05]
In a dominantly white culture, racialized people in Canada may “codeswitch”, Selam Debs, an antiracism coach said. Code-switching refers to a person changing their behaviour, expression or appearance Debs told CTV’s Your Morning on Monday, explaining the reasons for doing so can include safety, […]
More highly supportive, deeply affordable housing units coming to London this fall – CBC News [2023-06-05]
The city has approved a deal with charity Indwell for 44 deeply affordable, highly supportive housing units, a step toward London’s promise to open 100 such apartments by the end of the year. City councillors approved the plan for the supportive housing units last […]
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study – CTV News [2023-06-03]
A new study has revealed an increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms of residents – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say. The study, […]
Access to virtual mental-health care uneven across Canada – Healthy Debate [2023-05-28]
Despite the promises of “universality” and “accessibility” enshrined in the Canada Health Act, virtual delivery of family physician services for mental health varies enormously across the country. Before the COVID-19 pandemic onset, virtual delivery of physician services in Canada was rare – other than […]
‘Slipping through the cracks’: Post-secondary students with mental-health disabilities struggle to find help – Healthy Debate [2023-05-29]
Despite the increased availability of resources to tackle the student mental-health crisis across Canadian universities, three in four post-secondary students are unaware of how to access campus mental-health resources. Undergraduate students voice that there is a disconnect between what is available to students with […]
Why You Shouldn’t Call the Police on an Unhoused Person (and What to Do Instead) – Lifehacker [2023-05-26]
People think we’ve got the market cornered on houselessness here in Portland, Ore., but traveling across Idaho, Utah, and Arizona this winter helped confirm that this is not a uniquely West Coast Thing; it’s endemic. Houseless folks make people anxious, which explains how housed […]
Manitoba chiropractor cleared of misconduct after posting pro-vaccine news story – CBC News [2023-05-23]
Carolyn Weiss didn’t give it much thought when she posted a news article that spoke positively about vaccines on her personal Facebook. It was January 2021 and COVID-19 vaccines were beginning to be administered across the country, sparking fierce public debate. Little did the […]
5 Common Pieces of Career Advice that Are Often Useless – Psychology Today [2023-05-22]
Years ago, when I was looking for my first faculty position, I sought the advice of someone who was technically supposed to serve as one of my advisors. This person offered me only two pieces of advice: Go to a career fair and read […]
Lived Experience of Homelessness Examined – A Personal Perspective: When is it helpful in program and policy work? Psychology Today [2023-05-22]
The lived experience, the direct and unintentional (as in not stunt journalism) experience of homelessness, is increasingly used and prioritized in policy and program realms. While much of this is good, I think it needs to be examined more closely. As someone with the […]
Advocates blast Barrie city council for greenlighting ban on donations to people experiencing homelessness – CBC News [2023-05-21]
Advocates are blasting the City of Barrie for approving a slew of policies that, if put in place, could outlaw giving food or money to people in the city who are experiencing homelessness. In a city council meeting Wednesday, councillors approved a range of […]
Ontario government, Bell won’t say how much money they made from inmate phone calls – Global News [2023-05-16]
Neither Bell Canada nor the Ontario government will say how much money they made from a jail phone system that charged what lawyers describe as “exorbitant” rates for inmate calls over eight years. Bell operated the Offender Telephone Management System from 2013 to 2021 […]
Officers’ focus should be policing, not social work: New St. Thomas chief – London Free Press [2023-05-15]
Prioritizing the health and well-being of police officers is fundamental to improving the way police serve the community and build trust with the public, says the incoming St. Thomas police chief. Acting Chief Marc Roskamp, who will be sworn in Tuesday, outlined his vision. […]
Owning houseplants can boost your mental health – here’s how to pick the right one – PsyPost [2023-05-13]
In both Europe and the US, people spend up to 90% of their time indoors. But spending so much time inside can have consequences for your mental health. The World Health Organization estimates that 5% of adults globally suffer from depression. Stress, depression and […]
6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Blindly Trust Artificial Intelligence – Make Use Of [May 13, 2023]
AI is transforming the world as we know it, with its impact felt across every industry. However, not all of these changes are necessarily positive. While AI offers exciting new opportunities in many areas, we cannot ignore the fact that it lacks an inherent […]