Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 2 – 8, 2022
Mental Illness Awareness Week is an opportunity to increase awareness and education about mental illnesses experienced by Canadians. The week was established by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada.
Mental illness impacts all of us. 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness every year. Major depression affects approximately 5.4% of the Canadian population, and anxiety disorders affect 4.6% of the population. An estimated 11 Canadians die by suicide every day. Source: CMHA
As the regional leader in mental health care, St. Joe’s is committed to reducing stigma, facilitating conversations and raising awareness about the reality of living with mental illness and addiction. Learn more about our mental health services here.
Mental Health Series in the Hamilton Spectator
St. Joe's Youth Wellness Centre: Taking care of youth at risk
Caring and evidence-based mental health supports and substance use treatments for young people are available in downtown Hamilton
When Alex (a pseudonym) contacted the Youth Wellness Centre (YWC) in 2016, they were struggling with gender identity and the toll it was taking on their mental health. Alex had suppressed their feelings about being trans for years. The clinician Alex worked with introduced them to someone at the centre with experience in transitioning. The meeting and ongoing mental health support that followed helped to start a process of acceptance and change for Alex.
Addictions and substance use: 5 lessons the pandemic taught us
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton offers treatment programs for those experiencing moderate to severe substance use disorders
The COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for everyone, including people who use drugs or alcohol to cope with stress. Some people experienced increased substance use and some found it more difficult to achieve or maintain recovery from substance use during COVID-19.
But there were some silver linings, says Dr. James MacKillop, director and chair of the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, which is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University.
Click here to read about five important lessons that the medical community learned.
8 ways to support mental wellness in seniors
We asked the experts at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton for tips on how seniors can re-engage with their community after experiencing isolation during COVID-19
The pandemic heightened feelings of depression and anxiety among seniors. While some anxiety was a direct result of fears over getting sick, anxiety levels were elevated across the board on just about everything. In some cases, lockdowns accelerated mental health disorders, and some people were admitted to hospital with psychiatric and physical illnesses.
While COVID-19 protocols remain in place for some individuals, it is important to engage again in our lives and community, says Dr. Jonathan Crowson, geriatric psychiatrist, and head of service for seniors mental health at St. Joe’s.
Click here to find strategies for seniors’ mental wellbeing and programs available for support.
Anxiety and depression rates in our community remain high
A mental health crisis emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic - and it isn't over yet
A mental health crisis emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic — and it isn’t over yet. According to @Mental Health Research Canada surveys, pre-pandemic, anxiety affected one out of every four people in their lifetime, and depression affected one out of every five. Dr. Randi McCabe, Clinical Director of Mood and Anxiety Services, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, says now it is even higher.
While feelings of anxiety are normal and help motivate us to manage stressful situations, they pose a more serious problem when you don’t have healthy ways to cope with them, or if the stressors never let up.
Click here to find learn how to manage anxiety and depression, and find programs available for support.
Good news stories from St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation
Sam & Roma Mercanti Foundation pledges $500,000 to expand emergency mental health service
Sam Mercanti has had a 26-year relationship with St. Joe’s. He was part of the advisory board for St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Urgent Care Centre in Stoney Creek back in the late 1980s. He was a member, and later the chair, of the Hospital’s Board of Governors; Chairman of the Foundation’s yearly golf tournament -; a grateful patient from time to time, and, yes, a generous donor, too. Click here to read the full story.
The Allen and Milli Gould Family Foundation makes $20,000 grant to help those recovering from mental illness
When clients of St. Joe’s seek help for mental illnesses, one of their goals for recovery is often reintegration into the community through meaningful physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual activities. At St. Joe’s, we have a team of recreation therapists who are focused on providing this type of programming across the Hospital and within the Centralized Rehabilitation Resource Clinic (CRRC) at the West 5th Campus. Click here to read how the Allen and Millie Gould Family Foundation is contributing.
RBC's investment in mental health care is helping Hamilton youth, like Riley
Riley* (who uses they/them pronouns) was referred to St. Joe’s Youth Wellness Centre (YWC) at age 17. At the time, Riley was having thoughts of suicide and receiving support through the child/adolescent mental health and addictions system. Click here to learn how Transition Coaches at the YWC, like Mackenzie Mawson (pictured above) help, and about RBC's donation.
Community supports
Do you or someone you love need information or support for concerns about suicide/for a mental health or addictions concern? St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is committed to working with our community partners in mental healthcare to eradicate stigma and promote the fullest recovery for every individual.
Struggling with Suicide
If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts and/or behaviours, you may feel like you need additional support or resources. That’s why, in partnership with experts and affected families, St. Joe’s developed the guide below.
Download our guide by clicking on the image below or click here:
Click here to find a list of all St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's (SJHH) mental health and addictions services.
SJHH Youth Wellness Centre
905-522-1155 ext. 31725
COAST (Crisis Outreach and Support Team)
905-972-8338
Barrett Centre
1-844-777-3571
Native Women’s Centre
1-888-308-6559
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868 (5-20)
Good2Talk
1-866-925-5454 (17-25)
Crisis Services Canada
1-833-456-4566
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton
spcch.org
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention
suicideprevention.ca
Supports for Healthcare Workers
Find mental health supports for healthcare workers here. These supports include access to resources you can access on your own or with a group of peers.
Are You in Crisis?
Help is available. If you are in Hamilton:
- Go to the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton Charlton Campus (50 Charlton Ave. E., Hamilton) and tell the doctor if you are having thoughts of suicide.
- Call the Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST) at 905-972-8338 or online at www.coasthamilton.ca
- In an emergency, call 9-1-1.