Rethinking Wellness
Beyond policing and criminalization
Reprinted from the "Systemic Racism" issue of Visions Journal, 2021, 16 (3), pp. 5-7
Addiction, Wellness and Language
Words are powerful: they can frame how we think and talk about the kinds of changes people may make related to substance use. Consider how often people use “relapse” as the use of any substances at all or “falling off the wagon” implied as failure. Gaëlle sheds a light on these and other common biases that shape how we support or hinder people’s personal agency.
The Branch
Piloting innovative, safe, supported, temporary bridge-to-housing in Kamloops
Stigma + Discrimination
Many people don’t ask for help for mental health or substance use problems because they feel ashamed or scared. People may judge them and treat them. Others have trouble finding a place to live, finding a job, maintaining relationships and other important parts of life. In fact, most people living with a mental illness say that stigma is worse than the symptoms they feel.
Recovery: Stigma and Inclusion
PDF | Vol. 13, No. 1 (2017)
The Language We Use to Talk About Mental Health and Substance Use
Words matter. They impact the assumptions we make about others, the way we understand someone else’s experiences, and the value we place on others.
Treatments: What Works?
It seems like everyone has an opinion when it comes to treatments for mental health or substance use problems. To add to the confusion, it isn’t always obvious who is basing their opinions on real evidence and who is not. And while we often hear people talk about evidence-based treatments, it’s also clear that complementary and alternative medicine approaches are helpful for some.
Housing: Discrimination and Inclusion
Discrimination appears in so many facets of mental health care, and housing is no exception. Some people feel that challenges of low income, mental illness, or substance use should be relegated to a few parts of town or types of accommodation. While similar discrimination and exclusion would be unthinkable for most other group, some who experience mental health or substance use challenges are not welcomed or even tolerated by their neighbours.
Finding the Right Help - Navigating the System
While it's common to talk about the mental health system, the system isn’t a singular entity. The system might include primary care, mental health, substance use, housing, income assistance, and justice. They are not always accessed the same way, through similar gatekeepers.
Recovery
When we talk about mental illnesses and substance use problems, it’s easy to talk in clinical terms: that person has this symptom, or that person uses a certain drug. But recovery is so much bigger than a checklist.
