Real estate developers say homelessness, drugs and the prevalence of people suffering from severe mental illness is holding back the full-scale revival of downtown London by making it a hard sell for prospective office tenants as the core looks to turn the corner after […]
Category: Mental Health
A new course teaches Ontario police recruits how to defuse a mental health crisis – CBC News [2023-07-07]
Ontario now offers an 18-hour course that teaches police recruits how to deal with people suffering from a mental health crisis, marking the first time such training has been offered to the province’s law enforcement cadets. The three-day training session was introduced last week […]
I became a mental health nurse despite my doubts. It was the best decision I ever made – CBC News [2023-07-07]
Crisis. It’s a state I’ve become all too familiar with as a mental health nurse, but it was still unknown territory the day my patient threatened to kill me. It was an evening shift almost two years ago. I had recently joined the psychiatry […]
People with Mental Illness Are More Likely to Be Abused by Law Enforcement – Psychology Today [2023-06-28]
“Every time the police come after me they make me madder,” says Richard Saville-Smith, Ph.D. Saville-Smith is an independent scholar in the United Kingdom who writes about madness. He lives with madness himself. In early June his wife was worried about him and she […]
More supports needed to protect people with schizophrenia from extreme heat, experts say – CBC News [2023-06-24]
British Columbia’s 2021 heat dome killed people diagnosed with schizophrenia at a higher rate than those with any other chronic illness, according to recent findings from researchers at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). As extreme heat events are forecasted to become more […]
What Is the Pseudo-Psychiatric Term Excited Delirium? – Psychology Today [2023-06-21]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
B.C. family who lost brother challenges hospital procedures for discharging patients under Mental Health Act – CBC News [2023-05-08]
James Zimmer will always be remembered as a kind-hearted carpenter who dreamt of supporting people like himself who were struggling with mental illness, his family says. “He wanted to start out with being a peer supporter,” said sister Cindy Zimmer. But the dream never […]
A care revolution: Inside Canada’s first dementia village – Global News [2023-05-06]
In Langley, British Columbia, there’s a village that may remind you of your own: you can go for a stroll, pick up a couple of items from the grocery store or even pop by the salon. But, this particular community was purposefully built to […]
Resident dog Scout helps heal patients and staff at Hamilton mental health hospital – CBC News [2023-05-07]
Six months on the job and the “bestest boy” at St. Joseph’s hospital is already unleashing a sense of hope and inspiration among patients and staff. His name is Scout — a gentle 125-pound Leonberger who spends his weekdays visiting about 30 forensic unit […]
The number of medically-assisted deaths in Canada’s prisons a concern for some experts – CTV News [2023-05-03]
Canada has performed nine medically-assisted deaths among prisoners in the last seven years, more than any other country which tracks and records such data. The number of federal prisoners requesting medically-assisted death (MAID) in Canada has also increased, with 27 asking for permission to […]
Loneliness is the new silent killer, and as deadly as smoking: US surgeon-general – Global News [2023-05-02]
Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic. About half of U.S. adults say they’ve […]
How to Stop Being Lonely, According to the Surgeon General – Lifehacker [2023-05-02]
The Surgeon General of the United States is sounding the alarm about the growing epidemic of loneliness in this country. Vivek Hallegere Murthy’s just released public health advisory compiles a ton of research that indicates that social isolation is more than a philosophical problem; […]
Most Canadians want universal mental health care. What would that look like? – Global News [2023-05-01]
As Canada continues to grapple with a mental health issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new poll shows that a vast majority of Canadians want the government to provide universal access to systems such as therapy, medication and support groups. The survey released […]
Ontario introducing mental health education for students – CBC News [2023-05-01]
The Ontario government announced Monday it will introduce a new mandatory education curriculum for elementary and high school students that aims to increase mental health literacy, in the wake of continued challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new curriculum will be introduced […]
Study sheds light on features of psychopathy related to treatment engagement among incarcerated youths – PsyPost [2023-04-26]
The criminal justice system has been under critique in recent years for prioritizing punishment over treatment, but how can we be confident in who is open to benefiting from treatment? A study published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology explores how psychopathy traits […]
Violence in libraries is on the rise across Canada. How London, Ont. is responding – Global News [2023-04-25]
As libraries across Canada see an uptick in violence, the London Public Library is taking a compassion-first approach through a dedicated social worker for the downtown branch. The random acts of violence happening on our streets and in our transit systems in cities across […]
Mental-health services come too late, experts say, after uptick in violence – CTV News [2023-04-25]
Recent cases of violence across Canada demonstrate a clear need to treat mental illness early instead of waiting until a serious crime happens, says an executive with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Jonny Morris, the CEO of the B.C. division of the association, said […]
