Candidly Canadian Podcast
Ep. 1 – The One About Mental Health (& Mental Illness)
*DISCLAIMER*
The views, information, and opinions expressed in the Candidly Canadian podcast are solely those of the individual hosts; they do not necessarily reflect any organizations or third parties who we may be associated with the creators of this podcast, its production, content, or hosting platforms.
We are not experts on the topics we present, we are simply two Canadians exploring the less-talked-about areas of conversation as we see them, in our world today
Introduction
Names & background
· Shaely - She/her. Mid-twenties. Originally from Northern, B.C., but currently living on the West Coast. Nurse and passionate mental health advocate. Lover of nature, outdoor exploring, photography, art, and other forms of creation. Self-defined "nerd."
· Beth - She/her. Early twenties. Born and raised in the Vancouver area, currently living on Vancouver Island. Aspiring Social Worker and Human Rights Activist. Serious lover of tea and all things penguin related. Famous for singing in the shower, and cracking dad jokes.
Things we want to discuss on the show
· Mental health, mental illness, & stigma
· Feminism
· Toxic masculinity
· Weight stigma & diet culture
· Current events
Goals for our podcast
· Raise awareness about the topics we are passionate about
· Tackle stigma around “taboo” topics
· Give a voice to underrepresented experiences/topics in the ways we can
· Raise up the voices of underrepresented experiences/topics beyond our lived experience and personal privileges
· Encourage conversations that help to shift our culture in a positive and healing direction
· Create a sense of community and help people feel less alone in their experiences
Episode 1. - The One About Mental Health (& Mental Illness)
What is mental health (MH)?
· Broadly defined, mental health is “a state of well-being”1
· The recognition, conceptualizations, and definitions of MH have been delineated over the years and expanded definitions have been put forward over the years by organizations such as the World Health Organization
o 2004 - “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”2
o 2005 - “Mental health is a dynamic state of internal equilibrium which enables individuals to use their abilities in harmony with universal values of society. Basic cognitive and social skills; ability to recognize, express and modulate one's own emotions, as well as empathize with others; flexibility and ability to cope with adverse life events and function in social roles; and harmonious relationship between body and mind represent important components of mental health which contribute, to varying degrees, to the state of internal equilibrium”3
· Despite advancing definitions, MH is still frequently misunderstood and used interchangeably with the term “mental illness” (more on that to come)
· The term MH as a distinct concept from physical health reflects the historical remnants of Descartes’ philosophical musings, namely Cartesian dualism or the “mind/body split”
· Despite its critical importance, MH rarely receives the same prioritization as physical health (by both individuals, larger systems such as healthcare, and broader society.)
o It is considered normal for us to get a yearly physical check-up, but the idea of a yearly MH check-up feels kind of hard to imagine. It shouldn’t
· What is important to know is that “good MH” will look different on everyone, but there are 6 generally considered common factors:
1. A sense of purpose
2. Strong relationships
3. Feeling connected to others
4. Having a good sense of self
5. Coping with stress
6. Enjoying life
Common misconceptions/myths about MH & MI:
· MH VS. Mental Illness (MI) – while not everyone struggles with MI, every single person on the planet (all 7-8 billion of us)4 has MH that needs tending to, in just the same way as every other aspect of our health (be it physical, social, spiritual, etc.)
o “1 in 5 people in Canada will experience a MH problem or illness in any given year. But 5 in 5 of us have MH
o MH isn’t simply the absence of MI and living with a MI doesn’t mean you can’t have good MH
o Even if you don’t have a MI, that doesn’t mean you’ll feel great all the time. You might experience stress, a difficult life event, or burnout. Just like anyone can catch a cold or flu, everyone can experience the ebbs and flow of well-being. So, there’s not just the 1 in 5 of us who have MIs, and “the rest of us” who don’t. There is no rest of us. There is just us—all 5 in 5. We are all on the same team.”1
· MI is NOT a choice5
· MI is NOT a result of personal failings, character flaws, or poor moral quality (being a “bad” or “weak” person)5
· MI can impact anyone – it knows no bounds; however, certain populations may be more at risk due to intersecting circumstances well beyond their individual control (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, stigma, geographical location and access to services, socioeconomic status, etc.)
· Individuals struggling with MI are not necessarily more violent and in many cases are more likely to be subject to violence than to perpetrate it6
· Some individuals struggling with MI may live all their lives with their diagnosis, but no one with MI is ever hopeless or worthless5
· Enough with the “tortured artist/MI makes you more creative” trope7
· The romanticization of MI
Harmful phrases/language that can often be unintentional:
MI diagnoses are not metaphors and using them as such is not only incorrect, but harmful; these are REAL illnesses with REAL and serious impacts on the persons they affect.8
· “I’m a bit OCD”
· “The weather is so bipolar today”
· “What a psycho/schizo”
o “Psycho” refers to psychopath/sociopath (what is known today as antisocial personality disorder)
· “frequent flyer” (often used in relation to those struggling with addiction and poverty who are in and out of hospital)
· Using a diagnosis to describe a person (e.g. “addict” vs. individual struggling with addiction – person-first language!)
· “Why don’t you just try yoga, get outside, participate in this bizarre ritual involving howling at the moon and a lot of fennel? Etc.”
· “Calm down/take a chill pill”
The importance of self-care:
· What is self-care? – “Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook.”9
· It looks different for each of us at different times
· Sometimes it is “bubble baths and chocolate” but other times it is getting yourself to shower, cooking yourself a nutritious meal, taking time to do something you love, or getting yourself to do something you might not love (but need to do – ah the joys of adulting!)
· Self-care isn’t selfish; it allows us to notice and respond to our needs, protects us from burnout, and supports our well-being
· For many women, putting others before oneself can be a fairly ingrained way of being (we have the lovely patriarchy to thank for that)
The importance of creating a supportive environment for those around you (and how to do so in the ways you can):
· Listen with presence – do your best to focus on what the person is saying vs. thinking about your response
o if you do find your mind straying because you’re an anxious person and trying to anticipate what comes next is just your norm, it’s okay - be gentle with yourself and simply guide your thoughts back to the person speaking as best you can
· Try to remember that there are no “right words” in tough conversations and in truth, we cannot “fix people” (nor are they necessarily broken), we can only love them
o “Only” in this sense, carries some connotations of not being enough, but it is. Love is what matters at the heart of everything
· Look after yourself. If you’re trying to be supportive to someone else, it’s important you don’t forget yourself in there too. Sometimes this looks like self-care and sometimes it looks like boundary-setting. Sometimes it even looks like walking away from a relationship (or putting pause on it). Doing so doesn’t mean you necessarily don’t care about the other person, but it may be the way you can best care for yourself (and them in turn.) An unhealthy relationship doesn’t help anyone
· Be open to being wrong
· Be open to other ways of being even if you have contrasting beliefs
· Educate yourself and embrace continued learning through life
· Explore the issues you don’t understand, that feel far away from your own experiences, and maybe bring you to your “edge” of comfort and self-enquiry
· Be open and honest in your communication – share your needs and give space to hearing the needs of others (even if these are hard conversations to have sometimes)
· Keep learning to grow in your own life journey and in that, you can show others how to do so too
· Imagine others complexly – correct yourself when you find yourself drawn to simplifying who other people are or are capable of – balance recognizing struggle and offering empathy with respecting people’s inherent capacity
Mental Health Resources
A non-exhaustive list of some basic options for support if you (or someone you know) is struggling with their mental health or with mental illness:
· Crisis Services Canada – 1-833-456-4566 (txt 45645)
o BC Crisis Lines
- 1800SUICIDE (24 hours): 1-800-784-2433 310
- Mental Health Support (24 hours): 310-6789
Toll Free (24 hours): 1-800-588-8717
Adult/Elders Crisis Line (24 hours): (250) 723-4050
Child/Youth Crisis Line (24 hours): (250) 723-2040
Youth Text (6pm-12am): (778) 783-0177
Youth Chat (6pm-12am): www.youthspace.ca
· Canadian Mental Health Association - CMHA
· Check out your local, regional, or provincial health services
o Vancouver Island – Island Health MH Resources
References
Mentions
2. The Medical/Biomedical Model of Health
· Beyond the Biomedical Model – Social Determinants of Health, Toronto Charter
3. Vancouver Island Voices for Eating Disorders Blog – Attention Seeking Is Not A Bad Word
4. Criticisms of the BMI Tool
· Explores Adolphe Quetelet (the mathematician who developed the BMI tool), his focus on averages, the development of clothing sizes through his work, its use in the military, and criticisms of focusing on “the average”
6. Looking Glass Blog Post – Imagining Others (and Ourselves) Complexly