Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Mental illnesses are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior associated with significant distress and impaired functioning. Examples of specific mental illnesses include: Mood disorders, major depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
Mental health changes in our lives. Sometimes the changes can be subtle over the course of several years. Other times, it can be sudden or can change daily. The biggest contributing factor to our mental health are the things happening in our lives – it’s a continuum and its quite natural that we move back in forth on it, depending on what is going on and number of other factors.
Stigmas around mental health issues are very often systemic and a cultural change is required. It marks an entire group of people as socially different, unacceptable or undesirable; it is this belief that leads to discrimination. The fear of labels, exclusion, discrimination or ostracization keeps many people from feeling that they can comfortably access supports to help them with their mental health, whether it’s a single event-driven issue or a more complex, long term issue.
Mental illness is a broad term. It encompasses many different biological, psychological and social conditions or a combination of them. There also can be major cultural, racial, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability differences for members in what they need for support, for health care or in advocacy for mental health issues. When we see someone struggling at work we must not make any assumptions that one kind of care and support will work for all. We should not only recognize the need of support that our members need but also understand the stigmas and barriers in getting the support.
The conversations around mental illnesses can be very difficult, but these conversations need to happen to find help for our co-workers. We all must remember we may not have all tools to help and guide others who are in need, and we may need to seek help by contacting social stewards in the local to assist. If you or someone you know needs a social steward, please contact the Union Hall at 604-685-6581 Extension 0 and leave us a message. All calls and messages are strictly confidential.
YOUR VANCOUVER LOCAL SOCIAL STEWARDS:
Anju Parmar – President Bryan Schuck – 3rd Vice President
Kat Poch – Station F John Tweed – PPC Shift #2
Jeanette McConnell – LCD 1 James Davidson – SVDC
In Solidarity,
Anju Parmar, President