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Jess Wishart
Joined: Oct 29, 2006
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NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
March 17, 2009 - 11:32 AM
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In very exciting news, TIG has partnered with the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health to create a Youth Guide to Action on mental health. This guide will help educate young people on both mental health and mental illness, and give you the tools and resources to get inspired, informed and involved to make mental health a priority personally, in your community, and around the world!!
At TIG, we strive to incorporate your ideas, actions, and inspirations into our work. That’s why were asking YOU to help us with this project. You can help contribute to the guide by answering one or all of the questions below:
1. What does mental health mean to you?
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
We are looking for responses from youth from around the world. Not only does answering these questions allow us to gain greater clarity about your interests and priorities , it also means that you may be chosen as a featured member in the guide, which will help educate and inspire youth from around the world! So please, take a few minutes to answer the questions. Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
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marc
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
March 18, 2009 - 12:33 PM
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To me, mental health is a state of mind that we all have. its how we feel on the inside, non physically, but can be effected my physical things.
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Pauline
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
March 18, 2009 - 09:31 PM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
Mental health is a state of balance with your mind and body and to me it is created by acceptance of who I am and my place in the world.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I am part of Mobilizing Minds, Pathways to Young Adult Mental Health which is a five year project to promote knowledge translation and mobilization of resources pertaining to treatment options.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
It would be great to see relevant websites of interest to young people with explanations of each.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
I would like to ask the TIG community what the relation is of where you live to your mental health and what it means to build a mental health community that crosses all borders.
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Yashoda
Joined: Oct 17, 2008
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
April 2, 2009 - 02:06 PM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
It is the cognitive and reasoning power of any person. He has a positive attitude towards life and others. He is able to perform all the functions normally, as he is expected to complying with the social,cultural and situational behavior.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I am taking it personally because unless you are healthy mentally you cannot do anything. So I try to maintain my mental health by doing regular exercise and try myself to be happy.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
Yes,the mental health of the youths, their changing status of mind and the depression they suffer due to lack of opportunities,love,care and education which are their human rights.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
Yes, they are
i.The major causes of their mental instability of youths
ii.The reasons they are not able to cope with the environment that they are living in it.
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Meg
Joined: Aug 4, 2008
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
April 5, 2009 - 01:44 PM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
1) To me, mental health means the overall well being of one's inner thoughts and feelings. To have good mental health, one would be at peace with who they are--flaws included.
3)Issues with overall personal confidence and being at peace with oneself.
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Lucia
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
April 8, 2009 - 10:43 AM
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I'm no youth, but I was when I first began to suffer from suicidal depression and I have a lot of thoughts on this matter and its solutions and a lot of interest in helping others too, so I'll answer the questions.
JessWishart wrote:
1. What does mental health mean to you?
To me, one is mentally healthy when one can successfully pursue life goals and engage in usual life activities, including relationships and family life, joyfully and without trauma, drama or other "glitch." Self-betterment is also a big part of the pursuit of mental health as well, because it is not enough to just make yourself happy, one must also not infringe on the freedom of others.
JessWishart wrote:
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
This time last year I had a meltdown and I returned to the country of my youth to get involved in therapy, not just talk therapy, but other types, such as energy healing, all with the focus of clearing my past out of my system so I could effectively do the answer in #1.
JessWishart wrote:
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
I don't know much about the intent of the guide, but one thing that is very frustrating is the nice, neat answers someone like me gets when my depression, past or present, becomes known. You get people who know nothing about it telling you "don't think about the past, don't live in the past" and providing all this redundant advice as if they already have all the answers and the cures and as if they are telling you something brand new. This is mostly disturbing because it is usually accompanied by some sort of condescension or feeling of superiority on their part. There is not wide enough understanding of the human psyche, and that telling someone to "forget it" is as effective as telling a smoker to stop smoking.
JessWishart wrote:
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
I guess not.
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Lucia
http://www.celestialaspirations.com/
This post was edited on: 2009-04-08 at 10:52 AM by: Bitsy
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CHILD RESCUE MISSION CRM
Joined: Feb 26, 2009
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
April 8, 2009 - 06:23 PM
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Let me first of all thank the administration of Taking It Global for this very important discussion on mental health.
As a youth and also an activist for young people in Sierra Leone, The issue of mental health has always been a big concerned to people like us especially in a country like Sierra Leone that was engulfed by a 10 years blooddy and brutal armed conflict.
According to my pilot research after the disarmerment process, I discovered that several young persons were giving some harmful drugs in other to subdue them in joining ranks with the adult fighters.
But the question today is; were they properly checked for any forms of mental illness or the guns were only taking from them and let them go? I will categorically state here that they were only disarmed from holding the guns thereby living them with mental illness right across the country.
What makes the situation worse is that, we have just one hospital for mental illness cases, with one single doctor specialised in mental illness cases for the whole country of 3.5 million population according to the recent national population census.
Additionally, the post traumatic stress and the high levels of unemployments are causes for young persons taking some harmful drugs as a way of managing their stress according to my research.but unconsciously harming their health. Therefore, by the time they realise this, the situation is already worse and some times beyond control.
Therefore, we have grouped ourselves creating awareness on this issue and now that such an opportunity is available on this network, I would like to register our interest in working with you on this issue actively.
Kindly feel free to contact us on any thing necessary for the eradication of this big problem in our societies.
Because serving more people means, meeting more needs.
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Jan DeCourtney
Joined: Apr 9, 2009
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 9, 2009 - 09:16 AM
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Hello, I am the Managing Director of the Stoll Foundation for Holistic Health.
1. What does mental health mean to you?
Mental Health is an important part of overall health, and is not independent from physical health or emotional health. I believe good mental health is the ability to think positively and clearly, and respond appropriately to situations and stimuli.
Good mental health has two foundations. One is good physical health -- for example, if your body chemistry is imbalanced because of improper food or beverage choices, or from using drugs, or from lack of exercise, or insufficient relaxation (too much stress), your thinking will not be clear. In other words, how you treat your body also affects your mind.
Good mental health also has as a foundation the willingness to learn and grow. Often what we've learned as children was not positive, clear, or appropriate, and needs to be relearned.
Healing to reach good health, both mental and physical, is a way of life. And may I add that is it not only rewarding, but it is fun.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
Yes. We've formed the Stoll Foundation for Holistic Health (www.stollfoundation.org) where we teach people a healthy lifestyle to improve both physical and mental health focusing on natural and self-help methods. We include both physical and mental health because they are so related.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
We'd appreciate your mentioning our organization and website as a resource for the IT Community. We focus on providing low-cost self-help solutions for good health, so our help is accessible to all.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
Not at this time.
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NATHALIE
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 14, 2009 - 08:00 AM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
Mental health is beeing able to enjoy life to the maximum and making balance in my social and personal life. Also it is important to decrease stress by doing some daily physical activities to feel flexible mentally and ph.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I wasn't taking any actions before, but i started since 9 month ago to take personal action cause when i am mentally healthy i will be in the process of actualizing my potential. In order to do this i must first feel secure.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
In order to help community, we need to talk about mentally ill children and adults.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
I want to know why the ability of bouncing back from adversity has been referred to as resilience.
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Best Regards,
T. S
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Amanda
Joined: Mar 10, 2009
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 17, 2009 - 06:07 PM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
I see mental health as the natural emotional state of conscious beings, a feeling of peace with the world and with oneself. I think it's better not to see it as a clinical or legal term.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
Personally I am studying psychology, and I may get into research, because I want to make a difference in the field. I think it's very important and it's underestimated. I also think the best way to contribute to the mental health of everyone is to be a calming person. By refraining from yelling, judging and blaming people, you keep their long term mental health. If you treat people, especially children, with care and empathy, you will help them develop properly and reduce their risk of mental disorders.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
Preventive mental health should be included, i.e. making society more conducive to mental health. The average lifestyle is too stressful, and it doesn't have to be that way. There are plenty of things we can do for each other every day to help this issue, everyone can make a difference, that's what needs to be included.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
Should "mental health" be seen as something some people do not have, or should we simply see it as something subjective to strive for?
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Dave Smartt
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 17, 2009 - 06:31 PM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
To me, it means having a healthy state of mind, healthy thought & healthy emotions.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I think coming out about struggles with mental health issues helps. The Beyond Graduation site on TIG is a great resource.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
I would like to see some of the stigmas & stereotypes surrounding mental illness - and there are many - broken down.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
None.
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Abhishek
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 18, 2009 - 02:54 AM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
I have bipolar complex (known as manic depressive illness, and what I prefer to call the Bipolar Advantage)
So with Bipolar Advantage I have had a deep look at the idea of mental health
Unlike physical health, mental health is very hard to observe and quantify - and hence it is even more important to actually monitor it
I believe that just like our normal health is punctuated with colds or aches, so is mental health, a lot of it going un-noticed.
I have friends who I believe are depressed and yet wont seek help
I believe mental health is a state of awareness about your mental state - to a level where you are capable of not only knowing that you need help when you need it, but also capable of reaching out for it.
If this state is maintained I believe a person is mentally healthy.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I am taking this issue currently at a very personal level - I am trying to thouroughly understand what is my state about....this will later enable me to spread knowledge about this to others.
Legally there are few laws in India for people affected with mental disorders - the challenge is that even if these laws are made they are very likely to be abused by many others - with mental illness becoming a pretext for doing illegal things.
So right now I am on a personal exploration and trying to work with my medication to make myself more productive. I intend to take this further as I go ahead.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
I would want 'Identification of mental state' as an issue in this - important for people to know what their mental state is for them to be able to act
There also have to be lists on how people around can identify if someone is mentally ill and needs help.
Finally I would want a section on removing the taboo around mental health - seeking help is often seen as a sign of weakness when it is really important to do so.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
Yes I would
- Do you see mental health and seeking help as a taboo? How is it in your country/culture?
- What have you done to reach out and help mentally ill people? Have you even been able to identify such people?
- Are there adequate resources in your community to be able to deal with such illnesses and diagnose them correctly?
- Have you been mentally ill at some point in your life? How did you cope with this?
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LAVITTORIA
Joined: Oct 28, 2000
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 19, 2009 - 10:13 AM
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1. What does mental health mean to you?
It's something that I learned about in University through a first year psycology course. Later on, the preliminary introductory course aided in the consultation and diagnosis of someone close to me.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically? No political standpoint, but I like to research information about various mental health symptoms. I found out some pretty famous people also are diagnosed.
Websites to note:
1. (Online quiz to check if you have any mental health related symptoms)http://www.checkupfromtheneckup.ca/
2. (Recent Article about Margaret Trudeau)http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090508.wmaggie09/BNStory/National/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
3. (Cdn Network for Mood & Anxiety Treatment) http://www.canmat.org/resources/bipolar/index.html
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide? Information regarding Manic-Depression (Formally known as Bi-Polar).
-Vittoria
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Veronica
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
May 25, 2009 - 05:15 PM
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What does mental health mean to you?
Mental Health to me is about balance.
We can not expect to be happy or satisfied all the time. Anxiety, loss, melancholy, sadness and other negative emotions are a natural part of life and can actually make people grow and become stronger and wiser. But when an emotion or a behavior takes over and overshadows all other aspects of everyday life (may it be anxiety, adiction, manic behaviors or anything else), that to me is a mental illhealth.
2. Tell us about what you are doing to make mental health a priority. Are you taking action on this issue personally or politically?
I am a student of psychology and I hope that I will eventually get the oportunity to work with mental health at the population level. Mental illness stigmatize people to a far greater extent then somatic diseases do. One reason for this i believe is that people don't have enough knowlege about the mental illnesses and thier causes. Nobody is immune and under the "right" circumstances anybody can develop a mental illness. It's important that we find out what those circumstances are. I hope I'll be able to contribute to greater knowlege and public awareness about mental illness.
3. Is there any issue in particular you would like to see included in this guide?
One important issue is the increasing of mental illhealth among young people in Europe. Somatic diseases are decreasing but mental diseases increasing, especially among young people. Another very important issue I believe is the low priorization of the mental disorders. In sweden it is estimated that up to one fourth of all people visiting a health care center are in need of psychological conuselling but only a very small fraction actually recieves it. Medical staff are prioritized over psychologists. I would not be surprised if the situation is the same in many other countries.
4. Are there other questions related to mental health that you would like to pose to the TIG community?
It would be interesting to learn more about what kinds of problems different countries and regions od the world have. Global statistics!
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Sadrick Lottering
Joined: Jun 11, 2009
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Re: NEW TIG GUIDE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!
June 12, 2009 - 08:37 AM
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Hi Pauline
My name is Sadrick Lottering, and i live in South Africa. I came across your comment on Mental Health. I work for a NPO by the name of AVPFS ( Alternative to Violence Project Free State). Pauline I agree 110% with you. I'm trying at the moment to let my co-directors understand that it would be of great advantage to our work of creating a violence free society if we start to focus on Mental Health. this would help us a great deal. Now my problem is this I do not have the methodology. I have explained everything through experience and emotional contact if i may call it that. you mentioned a 5 Year Project. if I can be a Part of that it would be a Blessing. Even if you courier the methodology. We'll pay for a that.
Thank you for the great work you are doing
Regards
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Sadrickl30
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