This is the 70e CMHA Mental Health Week. This year, we took the pulse of the emotions of Canadians and saw that the pandemic has had a significant impact. This is what emerged from the most recent research conducted by researchers at ACSM and the University of British Columbia (UBC): 77% of adults say they feel “worried or anxious”, “bored “,” Stressed “,” alone or isolated “and” sad “.
These distressing feelings can in fact be an adequate emotional response to this difficult time.
Margaret Eaton, Chief Executive Officer of CMHA, explains her outlook: “While it’s disheartening to think that so many Canadians are feeling overwhelmed, their difficult emotions can actually be an appropriate reaction to an event. major as a global pandemic ”.
Contrary to popular belief, having good mental health does not mean striving for perfect happiness all the time. In fact, the study’s lead researcher, Emily Jenkins, a UBC professor who studies mental health and substance use, instead argues that having good mental health means having “emotional reactions.” and behavioral appropriate to the stressors and life events we face ”. Dr. Jenkins says it’s important to recognize and deal with our emotions, and not hold them back. “It is especially important to share our more than normal feelings of sadness, fear and worry during this time of unprecedented stress, uncertainty and grief.”
While many people have emotions on the skin, Mental Health Week gives us the opportunity to put our emotions first and take care of our mental health, as talking about how we feel. not only makes sadness, anger and worry less intense, it also makes us feel better, manage our emotions better, and bond with others more easily.
Neuroscience can also explain this phenomenon. Research shows that putting words to our negative emotions disrupts and reduces activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that directs responses to stress and fear. Being able to put a specific word on a feeling has the effect of increasing activity in the prefrontal and temporal regions of the brain. Naming our emotions can actually help us feel calmer and better understand what we are going through.1.
However, it’s important to recognize that sometimes painful feelings get too intense. If a worry, anxiety or distress becomes too intense, persists and disrupts your life or your relationships with others, or if you turn to substance use to cope with the situation, it is essential to seek help. .
During Mental Health Week, people across Canada will #TalkToTrue, because when you put in the words, you soothe ailments.
If you want to get involved in Mental Health Week, you can:
- Learn more on mental health and emotions by visiting www.mentalhealthweek.ca
- Share your support on social media by downloading a toolkit and using the hashtags #TalkingToReal and #MentalHealthWeek
- Make a donation to support CMHA mental health programs and services at https://cmha.ca/en/faites-un-don
- Log in to others. If you or someone you love is having difficulty, please do not hesitate to contact your local CMHA or visit the Government of Canada’s Wellness Center portal. If you are in crisis, call 1-833-456-4566 toll-free in Canada (1-866-277-3553 in Quebec) or dial 911.
Mental Health Week is generously supported by our lead partner Shoppers Drug Mart as well as Westland Insurance, Leith Wheeler, tv Rogers and the It’s Not Going Today program.
Mental Health Week is May 3-9. Visit the semainesantementale.ca and don’t hesitate to #ParlerPourVrai, because when we put the words, we soothe the evils.
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