Mental Health and Substance Use Flashcards
Define mental health
State of well-being in which every individual can
o Realize their own potential
o Cope with normal stresses of life
o Work productively and fruitfully
o Contribute to their community
Was not previously recognized in the definition of health but is now an integral part of health
It is not the absence of mental illness
Describe mental illness
- Specific ailments that affect thinking, mood, or behaviour
- Associated with significant distress and impaired functioning
What is important to remember about using substance substances and substance use disorder?
It is important to keep in mind that not everyone who uses substances has a substance use disorder.
What is a concurrent disorder in the context of mental health?
Substance use disorder and mental illness within the same person at the same time
What is mental health promotion?
Programs, policies, and other interventions that enable people to
o Gain control over their lives and their mental health in particular
o Work towards creation of an environment that supports recovery
Why is promoting mental health as important as promoting physical health?
o It is better to prevent mental health issues than to correct them
What levels might mental health promotion exist?
Individual level
In clinical or other settings
Rehabilitation facility
Population based
Creation of policies
Supportive physical and social environments
Address stigma
In the past, patients with mental illnesses were sent to institutions. What are some of the major initiatives to improve mental health treatment?
1960s – Deinstitutionalization
2006 – Out of the Shadows at Last - created mental health commission of Canada a year later
2008 – At Home - housing initiatives
2009 – Opening Minds - 10 year anti-stigma campaign
2017-2022 – Advancing The Mental Health Strategy for Canada - specific objectives for taking action
Describe the deinstitutionalization of mentally ill Canadians
1960s – Deinstitutionalization
* Individuals with mental illness were moved out of hospitals with care shifted to the communities
* Not very successful with concurrent mental health disorders and PDD
* Unable to meet their more complex needs in rural/remote areas
* Most recently a push to treat most on an outpatient basis but long-term care patients moved to residential care facilities
* Revolving door syndrome
Describe Out of the Shadows at Last
- Produced in Canada and led to several report publications
- Created momentum that formed the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2007
Describe the At Home initiative
- Mental health and housing initiatives
- Provided housing to those with mental illness and homelessness
- Addressed the difficulty for mentally ill to obtain safe housing
Describe the opening minds initiatives
- 10-year anti-stigma campaign
- Awareness and change public attitudes toward mental illness
Describe the Advancing The Mental Health Strategy for Canada
- A framework for action outlines the specific objectives in taking action
- Federal government announced targeted $5 billion over 10 years to target mental health initiatives
- Framework to help transform mental health in Canada and positively impact the lives of all Canadians
- It sounds like a lot but we are spending way more than this
About how many Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness each year?
1 in 5
About how many people by the age of 40 have had a mental illness at at least one point in their life?
> 50%
