UBC Mental Health Awareness Club

An article in the Huffington Post titled “Why Mental Illness Goes Much Farther Than Research Tells Us” critiques the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey on Mental Health, specifically stating its exclusionary sample is creating a rather convenient picture of mental health in Canada.

As any science student and professional knows, having a representative sample is, you know, kind of important. One of the article’s complaints about this particular sample is it leaves out groups that are particularly prone to more mental health issues, such as those living on reserves and the institutionalized. With this in mind, the results can really only be taken at face value, or at least only generalized to the rest of society — not exactly great validity.

My question is, why might have the Canadian government decided to exclude these particular groups from the sample? Were they simply wishing to get a more realistic view of the “average” Canadian? If this were the case, I would question why we need to ignore vulnerable groups, as they are part of the social ecosystem; excluding these people seems like a blatant disregard of their roles in Canadian society.

Research methods aside, what are the consequences of these statistics? My gut feeling makes me wonder if this is the government’s way of saying, “Hey, look how well we’re doing!” when we’re really not doing that well. If the results favour lower levels of mental health issues, then solutions for these problems may not be as urgent. The smaller the problem, the easier it is to sweep under the carpet.

Anyone working in the mental health field has some sort of awareness about the lack of funding and resources mental health programs receive. In my own experience volunteering in community housing for those with severe mental health issues, I know only too well the poor living conditions and lack of social support these people receive.

The ultimate question: How can we make Canada more mentally healthy?

Students often vocalize the comment, “I’m feeling anxious today”. With mounting pressures to maintain a certain GPA for graduate programs or scholarships, while often balancing work or volunteer experience, it’s no wonder that anxiety is a growing concern on university campuses. It is important, however, to understand that although many students may “feel anxious” throughout their university career, it certainly does not designate them as having an anxiety disorder. In fact, having anxiety is a perfectly normal human condition. When you feel anxious before a midterm or a job interview and you are experiencing physical symptoms such as ‘butterflies in your stomach’ and chest palpitations, your body and brain are motivated to perform at your best. It may be helpful to re-frame those unpleasant symptoms as evidence for your determination to excel.

When anxiety does become a problem, one is plagued with physical symptoms and recurring thoughts of worry when there is no immediate danger. The physical symptoms can be so severe that individuals will choose not to be in public places, in fear that an episode or ‘panic attack’ will occur. Thankfully, there are professionals who are committed to supporting individuals who are suffering from an anxiety disorder. The anxiety B.C. website is a wonderful resource for learning more about anxiety and the various disorders within this, along with helpful strategies to combat the physical discomfort and unrealistic thoughts. They even have an app called ‘MindShift,’ which allows individuals to assess their level of anxiety, make an action plan for specific worries, and engage in ‘mind-chilling’ activities to improve their mental health. Anxiety is an adaptive trait of all humans but it was not designed to stop us from achieving our personal goals and engaging with friends and family. Anxiety BC acknowledges that some are struggling with constant worry, but it should never be in silence.

Resource: http://www.anxietybc.com/resources/anxiety.php
MindShift App.