This year, someone you know, and care about may experience a mental health and addiction issue. You owe it to them to become more knowledgeable if you are not already.
This post offers a very brief introduction to these increasingly common issues. It is dedicated to the people experiencing these issues and their journeys; the people working on the front lines; the families dealing and attempting to deal with stress and worry that is a constant companion; and to you, hopefully, in the short time it takes to read this post, you might be inspired to learn more.
- One in four people this year will have some sort of mental health and addiction experience.
- Everyone’s experience with mental health and addiction is unique and personal.
- Many people’s journeys are complex as few mental health and addictions experiences are singular; multiple issues make the diagnosis and care much more difficult.
- Most of what the public knows about mental health and addiction solutions is wrong. Myths, biases, and misconceptions are very common.
- Addiction is a health issue, not a criminal issue. Too many politicians pledge to be “tough on crime,” or to “clean up the drug problem,” with rhetoric and statements that are uninformed and/or simply wrong.
- The people experiencing mental health and addiction experiences deserve dignity and respect just like anyone else experiencing a health issue.
- Living with homelessness can cause mental health and addiction issues. Homelessness exists in virtually every community and the number of people and families is increasing every month. They need your help to lobby local government to help provide basic human dignity functions like 24/7 washrooms and showers, laundry facilities, safe emergency housing, supportive housing, and wrap-around services.
- Any of us, could become vulnerable to mental health and/or addiction experiences. Experiencing trauma or trying to live with trauma can be a trigger; vulnerability has little to do with the strength or lack of someone’s character.
- Like prohibition, “The War on Drugs,” has not worked and too often punishes the most vulnerable people affected. Collectively we need to be aware that addiction is often a way for some to cover up or hide the effects of trauma. To quote Gabor Mate, “Don’t ask why the addiction, ask what the trauma was.”
- Families of people experiencing mental health and addiction are too often excluded from the care process. Interaction and communication in the “circle of care” too often exclude families. The circle of care should include the doctors, nurses, mental health and/or addiction workers, supportive housing, the family, and any other supports required.
- Some families have unrealistic expectations of what mental health professionals can do. Many counselors have related stories of families dropping children off for care, saying “fix them,” without appreciating that mental health and addiction experiences can be caused by trauma in the home and from the parents themselves.
- Some families complain, too often medication decisions are made by physicians not included in the circle of care or that contradict previous medical orders.
- Nobody should ever be discharged from care into homelessness. In many communities, this happens, particularly in rural areas.
- Stigma still has too strong an influence. If someone has a broken leg or even a disease such as diabetes, most people are sympathetic. If someone is suffering from an addiction, attitudes usually are completely different.
- People experiencing homelessness can become addicted. The constant fear of robbery, muggings, rape, and uncertainty combine to make them vulnerable to drugs to keep them alert. We should consider that people experiencing addictions are victims.
- Too often police are called to handle disruptions caused by someone in crisis instead of a mental health and addictions response team.
- Mental Health and addiction affect far more than individuals. The rippling effect touches families, friends, businesses, and the entire community.
- Taking a mental health first aid course should be as much of a requirement as regular first aid courses. The cost is minimal, and the skills and awareness are invaluable. In my community this is offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association, call 211 in your community to find more details.
- Help can be difficult to access. In rural areas, government funding is insufficient, waiting lines are too long, people can be too embarrassed to ask for help, and even if they want help, sometimes they don’t know where to turn. In our community, an area of the same size as Toronto, only two psychologists are practicing and serving a community of 160,000 people.
- Mental Health and addiction care are not a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 issues. Organizations and funders need to appreciate efficiency and value must be measured by different yardsticks than other government funding projects.
- Harm reduction is only one component of helping to alleviate the addiction issue. Decriminalization of drugs is one step, having a safe and prescribed source of drugs is another, as well as safe injection sites with “wrap-around service” to deal with the underlying trauma. All are parts of trauma-informed care, no one can judge the elements individually or in isolation.
- Harm reduction does not “fix” people any more than sunscreen fixes skin cancer or bike helmets repair head injuries, they reduce the risk. Harm reduction is not about quitting drugs, it is about reducing the risk and danger and allowing other elements of care to work.
- Safe supply is vitally important. The toxicity of street drugs is killing people.
- Noxolone saves lives. There are few readily available treatments to deal with overdoses, Naloxone works and is available for free at health units and most pharmacies. It is easy to use but it is only a temporary antidote when someone overdoses.
- Donate today. Mental health and addiction numbers are increasing and funding is frozen and falling because of inflation. Too many mental health organizations operate month to month on precarious funding just as the demand for their services is only increasing.
- This is just a very brief list of some of the mental health and addiction challenges our communities face.
The call to action is for each of us to take the time to learn about mental health and addiction in our communities, educate ourselves on the science, not the rhetoric, encourage harm reduction, lobby our politicians to do the same, and most importantly share what we learn with our friends, family, and neighbors.
Good luck,
Paul.
Note: I have just finished a 6-month stint working for the Canadian Mental Health Association and was inspired by the incredibly dedicated people who devote their careers to making a difference.
Here are a few resources to use to learn more:
Everything you think you know about addictions is wrong – Johann Hari (YouTube)
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – Dr. Gabor Mate (YouTube)
Information about Mental Health First Aid from CMHA Sudbury (website)
Find resources in your own community by calling 211 or visiting their website online.