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When we talk about mental health and surviving traumatic events, we often hear the phrase “triggering,” but what does it actually mean and why is it so important? What is a Trigger? You’ve probably seen the phrase “trigger warning” pop up on a lot of sites across the Internet, particularly in connection to things like self-harm and a range of other mental-health related topics. Indeed, a few weeks ago I included a trigger warning on a post I wrote about my own suicidal thoughts. But what does it actually mean to be “triggered?”Read More →

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A 23-year-old University of Ottawa student who struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder in high school said she couldn’t have overcome the illness without the help of her parents and friends and is encouraging other parents to have that important talk with their kids. Speaking at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre on Tuesday, on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, Alyse Schacter opened up about her mental health struggles that started Grade 7 in Ottawa. Whether it was brushing her teeth, showering, or walking to class, it would take her hours to get through the smallest of tasks.Read More →

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By Marisa Lancione About Marisa Lancione Marisa Lancione is a mental health advocate who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder II 8 years ago. Despite being stable for the past 4 years, she still struggles to find balance in life while managing a mental illness. Marisa is a media relations professional and when she isn’t fighting stigma, she can usually be found reading, writing or tweeting. Since I started to share my mental health story with the public, people keep telling me that I’m brave. As flattering as that is, I don’t consider myself brave because many before me, and many after me, will share storiesRead More →

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Hamilton Spectator By Rachael Williams Danielle Berman vividly remembers the day she pulled up to her driveway in a friend’s vehicle and got the news that her father had died by suicide. Fifteen years later, the Dundas native has finally made peace with his death and is biking across Canada to raise awareness about the stigmatization of those suffering from mental health issues. She started her 4,280-kilometre trip in Vancouver in July and will arrive at Dundas Driving Park on Sept. 7.Read More →

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By Amanda-Marie Kavanagh http://thoughtcatalog.com/ Imagine a time when you felt really down. Like the kind of down when your body feels really heavy, your limbs are like lead and it takes every ounce of willpower to get out of bed. Times when tears refuse to run and you heart actually aches. You feel all alone, like no one could understand what you are going through and that no words of comfort could ever help bring you out of your present state. In fact, you start thinking that you deserve to feel this bad. That really, you are burden to your friends and family, that maybeRead More →

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Jul 29, 2014 Hamilton Spectator By Laura Armstrong From the tender age of 14, young people are masters of their own medical treatment under the law, from birth control to mental health care. “It really handcuffs families, but it is the legislation,” said Phyllis Grant-Parker, executive director of Parents Lifeline of Eastern Ontario. “Legally, physicians cannot discuss with a parent about their child of 14 or older unless the child has given them permission to do so.” Often, Grant-Parker said, it takes a traumatic event before there is some positive intervention. That seemed to be the case for Ali Shahi, a Mississauga man suffering fromRead More →

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January 28, 2014 http://www.chch.com/ Not feeling up to going into work or school today? You’re not alone. On an average day, half a million Canadians are off with some form of mental illness. We’re starting to see glimmers of hope, because people are starting to talk. Jim Bremner‘s started the conversation with his own first-hand account in the book Crack in the Armor: A Police Officer’s Guide to Surviving Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.Read More →

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By Alyssa Ashton http://www.canadianliving.com/ I’ve always thought it was strange that there was a World Mental Health Day. Why do we need an entire day dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, doesn’t everyone already understand it? The reason I feel this way is because I’ve been aware of mental health issues since I was seven-years-old—when I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. I’ve grown-up having an in-depth understanding of the effects of mental health issues.Read More →