By Wood’s Homes Staff Member.
October 2-8 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. This week is dedicated to educating and informing Canadians about the reality of mental illness. Take part, learn more about mental illness, and discover resources and support.
Mental health is a lifelong journey. Our mental health can change throughout our lives, and we may find ourselves with unexpected symptoms of mental illness.
Living with mental illness can be isolating and make it hard to find help to manage the symptoms. There are many resources for mental health help but finding the right type of support or treatment can also be difficult.
My journey with mental illness
Finding the help you need can be trying in a complicated mental health system, especially when you are struggling. Sometimes, people are put on waitlists when they reach out to find help. This can be discouraging to people seeking treatment for mental health.
I was put on a waitlist for two years to see a psychiatrist and during the wait, my mental health worsened. When I was finally able to see a psychiatrist and received a diagnosis, I was able to try several different medications over the next three years to help treat my mental illness before finally finding a medication that helped. Medication can be a process of trial and error before experiencing relief, as different medications work for different people.
I also started seeing a counsellor who really helped me make progress.
Mental support is available
It is important that there is accessible care for everyone seeking mental health treatment. Wood’s Homes is here to make it easier.
Our Eastside Community Mental Health Services (ECMHS) can help you navigate the mental health system in Alberta immediately and at no cost. Our counsellors, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals are ready to connect you and your family to the best service that fits your needs.
Mental health support is life-changing
Making the first step of finding a mental health professional to seek help can be difficult. Mental illness cannot be treated overnight. It takes time and effort to treat mental illness, but it will be beneficial in the long run.
It takes a lot of courage for someone struggling to seek help, but once a person does find help and receives the proper treatment, it is life-changing.
Eastside Community Mental Health Services offers immediate, no-cost, mental health support from an integrated ethnocultural team. It’s a place you can rely on when you have troubles at home or need someone to talk to. Call 403-299-9699.
