Understanding Mental Health

As we age, we face many changes and many sources of stress – we are not as strong as we used to be, illness is more of a problem, children move away from home, people we love die, we may become lonely, and eventually we must give up our jobs and retire

Mental health means striking a balance in all aspects of your life: social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental. Reaching a balance is a learning process.

Just as physical fitness helps our bodies to stay strong, mental fitness helps us to achieve and sustain a state of good mental health. When we are mentally healthy, we enjoy our life and environment, and the people in it.

Schools are powerful spaces for building connection, belonging, and mental well‑being. For children and youth, feeling connected at school is one of the strongest protective factors for mental health. When students feel seen, valued, and safe, they are more resilient, more engaged in learning, and more likely to seek help when they need it.

Social connection is woven into our daily routines. It can be as simple as sharing a meal, checking in with a friend, waving to a neighbour, or exchanging a few words with a stranger. These small moments of connection happen all around us — often without much thought — but they matter more than we often realize.

A concurrent mental illness and substance use problem means that someone experiences a mental illness and, at the same time, uses substances like alcohol or other drugs in ways that could cause harm.

Mental Health Week is an important moment to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote open conversations about mental health. It’s also a moment for workplaces to come together to create safe and supportive spaces for conversations about mental health and strengthen workplace culture.

Loss is one of life’s most stressful events. It takes time to heal, and everyone responds differently. We may need help to cope with the changes in our lives. Grief is part of being human, but that doesn’t mean we have to go through the journey alone.

Loneliness is more than a passing feeling – it’s a growing public health issue with real consequences for mental and physical health. In Canada, 13 percent of people aged 15 and older report feeling lonely “always” or “often.” Loneliness affects people across the lifespan, but some groups — including youth and seniors — experience it at much higher rates.

It’s being called a silent crisis, a sleeper issue. But there are signs that this sleeper is at last awakening. Around the world studies, surveys, web networks, journals and newspaper articles are shedding light on a shadowy subject: men’s mental health.

Work is important to our well-being. In addition to the income it brings, it can be a big part of our identity, how we understand our skills, and a way to contribute to something bigger. However, a mental illness can have a big impact on the way we work.

Recovery is the personal process that people with mental illness go through in gaining control, meaning and purpose in their lives.