Mental Health Week 2019 – May 6-12
Each May, Canadians in communities, schools, and workplaces rally around Mental Health Week. Mental health is a state of well-being, and we all have it. We might have a mental illness, and we might not. Either way, we can all feel well.
- One in five Canadians lives with mental health problems, mental illnesses or addiction. But the reality is, five in five of us have mental health, just like we all have physical health.
We can all benefit from celebrating, promoting and acknowledging the role that good mental health plays in living a full and meaningful life.
What mental health really is:
- It is about having a sense of purpose, strong relationships, feeling connected to our communities, knowing who we are, coping with stress, and enjoying life.
It’s never too early or too late to start promoting mental health. Mental health promotion helps us get out in front of mental illness. But it’s not just about what you do for yourself, by yourself—everyone needs healthy and supportive places to work, live and learn.
Mental Health Supports and Upcoming Initiatives
- Homewood Health provides McMaster’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), which is a professional service that offers counselling, coaching, information and, support for all issues relating to mental health, career, life balance, health management, and achieving greater personal well-being.
- Employee Health Services offers free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to McMaster faculty and staff. MHFA helps participants recognize individuals in distress, provide help and support positive mental health. Learn more.
- Visit mentalhealthweek.ca for further information about Mental Health Week.
- Research shows that physical activity improves emotions and mood, quality of life, self-esteem and cognitive function so why not get involved in McMaster’s ParticipACTION program? The program is being hosted by our Healthy Workplace Committee and starts May 31! Learn more.
- Who we think we are influences so much of how we think and act on a daily basis. To wake up and say, “I used to be”, “I could never be”, etc. is a debilitating thought process. We need to change the dialogue in our minds which naturally improves how we think and act on a daily basis. Learn about this topic at the upcoming Heroic Identity event coming in June.