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Sunday, June 14, 2020

The End of Mental Illness? (Part 2 of 2)

Dr. Amen’s simple concept about the relationship between brain health and mental health is a game changer. Here’s how it can help you

By Quentin Steen, Representative

What if mental health was brain health? This is the guiding principle and foundation of Dr. Amen’s work. It’s a principle that I’ve found very useful in my journey.

The end of mental Illness is based on the very simple message that if you get your brain right your mind will follow! What Dr. Amen means is that by improving the physical functioning of our brain, we can improve our mental health.

According to Dr. Amen, reframing the discussion from mental health to brain health changes everything.

6 Benefits of Viewing Mental Health as Brain Health

  1. People see their problems as medical, not moral.
  2. It decreases stigma, shame, and guilt.
  3. It increases compassion and forgiveness from families.
  4. It is a more accurate description of the biology involved.
  5. It elevates hope.
  6. It increases compliance with treatment plans.

This simple concept is really good news for all of us—and a game changer for how we look at and treat mental health.

Quentin Steen is a certified mental health first aid instructor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Get your BRAIN right and your MIND will follow!

4 Mental Health Resources to Help You During the Pandemic

  1. Stronger Minds features videos and quick reads from mental health experts, activities to help you gain resilience, and ask-an-expert videos in response to questions.
  2. WellCan offers free well-being resources to help Canadians develop coping strategies and build resilience to help deal with uncertainty, mental health, and substance abuse concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals.
  4. CLAC is also continuing to make available to all members and their families our employment and family assistance program. If you or your loved ones are struggling, please do not hesitate to reach out for help today.