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Ocean Watch makes port in Halifax after successful Northwest Passage trip

Joshua Brown
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The 64-foot sailboat tied off at the Halifax docks on Sept. 18.

The boat is circumnavigating the continent to raise awareness about environmental issues and gather scientific data.

The crew of the Ocean Watch is collecting atmospheric and ocean data for NASA and the University of Washington. The Pacific Science Center in Seattle develops education materials intended for primary and secondary school classrooms.

Zeta Strickland works for the centre and is the on-board educator for this leg of the trip. She works with school groups who visit the boat. “There’s a curriculum on our website and teachers can download it,” says Strickland. “There’s different lessons on all the different science topics both on this boat and also that pertain to just ocean health in general.”

It’s early in the school year but a lot of teachers have downloaded the curriculum for their classrooms, says Strickland.

The vessel completed a shaky navigation of the North West Passage in Northern Canada.

It was enough to make Capt. Mark Schrader nervous.

“We would just go, night and day, 24-hours a day,” says Schrader.

Traversing the passage requires vessels to spot openings in the metling ice – called leads – big enough to put the boat in. The crew had to wait for openings using ice maps before moving quickly through.

The ice in this part of Northern Canada has only been made passable in recent years by the warming of the planet, says Schrader. The Ocean Watch isn’t fitted for breaking ice, but these conditions allowed it to pass through.

“The danger is if a lead opens up and there is big pack ice and you take it and it closes and the win changes you’ve just lost your boat.”

When a sheet of ice cracks it can disintegrate opening leads.

The leads in the passage ranged from 10 feet to half a mile, says Schrader, but when gaps opened up and the conditions looked right they slipped in and hoped for the best.

The Ocean Watch crew sailed off the coast of Labrador in the first week of September, surfing down 30-foot ocean swells among high-rise sized icebergs.

“This boat has a normal hull speed of about nine knots and we had surfs in excess of 14 and 15 knots … that’s way too fast to stay under control,” says Schrader.

Icebergs form in the Labrador Sea when chunks of the North American ice sheet collapse and float south.

Schrader has 35 years of sailing experience, but he says the combination of rolling waves and towering icebergs made him anxious.

“At one point there was 33 of those ‘bergs around the boat on the radar screen and it was getting dark,” says Schrader.

“All of those ‘bergs would cave off a small piece and a small piece is certainly capable of sinking this boat if you got close to it.”

The crew will sail down the east coast of the Americas stopping at ports along the U.S. east coast spreading its message.

Their trip will eventually have taken them across 44,000 kilometers of ocean.

“Look at a map. Draw a circle around North and South America and call them an island,” says Schrader.

Everything that happens inside that circle absolutely affects the ocean and everything that happens in the ocean, really affects our daily lives,” he says.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on October 2, 2009.

Writing Helps

Alan Hale
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“Cats Rule,” proclaims the bold Comic Sans headline. The small, pixelated picture of a wide-eyed kitten stares up at you from the white printer paper. The artrcle underneath might possibly be the most enthusiastic three paragraph description of the virtues of felines to be put to print outside Cat Fancier Magazine. The writer describes how cats like to be brushed, and shares their observation that they do not enjoy “cool air from the fan.”

The artrcle is one of many that can be found in the August issue of the Community Access Co-op Newsletter. The newsletter is put out by the Metro Community Housing Association (MCHA), a non profit organization in Halifax that provides housing to people who have experienced some kind of mental health crisis. But instead of having MCHA staff write the newsletter, it is written entirely by those the organization is helping.

The August issue of the newsletter consists of five sheets of regular printer paper, double-sided, with two or three articles on each page, and a liberal amount of clip art scattered throughout. The topics covered are diverse: a review of a Ramones Greatest Hits album, some religious poetry and even a news article about the disappearance of Cecilia Zhang.

The editor, Adam Pelley, single-handedly makes the whole publication come together and is not picky about topics.

The MCHA has been operating since the 1970s. They started out with a single group home. Today, the organization runs four group homes, as well as other housing options with varying levels of staffing. Their goal is to help clients achreve as much independence as possible.
Pelley was diagnosed with schizophrenia 10 years ago and has been in charge of the newsletter for two and a half years. During that time the MCHA has put new emphasis on their already decade-old publication and has seen the amount of writers for it increase 50 per cent.
Pelley understands how Important participating in the newsletter can be, even if it only goes out to MCHA’s 150 clients. The newsletter isn’t meant to raise awareness in the general public; it exists for the benefit of the clients.
“It helps them get out of the house, and gives them more confidence more in what they do,” he says. “I think it helps give me more confidence, as well. It’s that confidence that will help MCHA’s clients go out and engage in the larger community despite their illnesses. The newsletter falls under the umbrella of the MCHAS Community Acces Co-op program. Other activities in this program are things like a monthly movie night, concert field trips and other special events. It also incorporates skills building, such as a literacy program they’re hoping to re-start next year.
This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on Oct. 2, 2009.

Battling a suicidal economy

Schenley Brown
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Recently, many cities including Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver have reported sharp increases in phone calls to suicide prevention hotlines since the recession started. As the economy has slid into recession, it is clear that standard of living for many people has decreased.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicidal behaviour is a type of mental illness or disease. In calling suicidal behaviour a disease, I believe experts intend to stop the stigma of blame connected to suicidal behaviour; blame felt by those that are suicidal and the people around them.

The problem with the idea that suicidal behaviour is a disease rests in that it allows people to think of it as an individual problem. A disease is something that is within someone and it would not get better or worse depending on external factors. In calling suicidal behaviour a disease we are allowing ourselves to detach each incident from society. We are telling the people that feel suicidal that it is in their heads, that they don’t have the fight or flight mechanism and that their feelings have little to do with the social world. As I said before, this is one way to stop the stigma of blame around suicide. But who is society shielding from blame?

Events occur because of people. When I say, “the economy has slid into recession,” it is very easy for someone to detach “the recession” from the people that had an effect on creating the recession. In fact, it sounds as if “the economy” did this on its own. It makes it easy to forget how an event occurred, and who had an effect on that event. This is the same dilemma that arises with calling suicidal behaviour a disease. It is not a disease, it is not only within someone’s mind – it is societal driven and maintamed.

To stop suicidal behaviour, everyone needs to understand that this behaviour is a mechanism of our society and the problem roots itself in the ways our society works.

One origin of this problem may be linked to our increasing consumerism. In contemporary Canadian culture, what people own is linked to how people feel about themselves and those they associate with. As the recession has intensified, a lot of people have lost their jobs and no longer have disposable income to buy new things or pay for things they bought before losing their jobs. This creates a feeling of unworthiness because people have linked self-esteem and self-value to material possessions. They see “things” as part of what they are, and therefore feel they have lost part of themselves. This feeling of unworthiness can cause suicidal behaviour. This behaviour was created because of mechanisms in our society.

In order to battle mental illness, we cannot segregate these problems from the rest of society and put the blame on the individuals biology by calling it a disease. We must understand that these problems are rooted in social interactlon and our society as a whole. Only then can we start digging into the root causes of suicide and figure out how to change the way we function as a society to eradicate it.

This article was originally published in issue 142-02 on October 2, 2009.

Read this before delving into the complex issue of mental health

Josh Boyter
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When the Gazette staff first started talking about doing an issue on mental health, we did not know what we were getting into. Mental health is a complex problem and we did not want to oversimplify it.

It’s an unfortunate reality that you, our readers, are at a prime age and space to suffer from depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues and other manifestalions of poor mental health. As students we don’t sleep enough, we often fill our bodies with poisons like alcoho! and drugs, and as young people, we also have to face the intensity of growing up.

Knowing this, there was a lot of tension about our capacity to present the subject in a way that was sensitive and informative while still interesting and thought-provoking. It became clear quite quickly that our entire staff would need to spend time exploring the ethical implications of what we were embarking on. This was not a task we took on lightly, nor was it something we felt could be rushed.

This meant pushing back the issue three weeks. It meant thinking about how readers struggling with mental health would respond to difficult and possibly triggering content. It meant timing this issue with an eye to other factors that impact students’ mental health, such as midterm season and the winter. It meant ensuring that our writers felt supported enough to tackle the complicated subject. Finally, after weeks of research and discussions with professionals in the field, we think we have developed a themed issue that does not trivialize the subject matter nor exalt it.

As journalists, it’s our responsibility to give voice to all sides of an issue and report the truth. It is important that we are aware that subjects we cover may be extremely sensitive. Regarding mental health, situations are often extremely personal, frequently exposing deep held emotions. It was important to us that this issue look not just at people in our community suffering through mental hardship, but also explore what services are available to students and find where there are gaps.

We believe we have found a balance. In the News section, you will find resources for you or friends who may suffer from mental health disorders. In Opinions, you’ll be able to read an informative article on how to improve your mental health through exercise and positive thinking. In Arts and Features you can read a pair of articles about one of our contributors who dealt with depression. In Sports, you’ll find a story comparing stress in Halifax to stress in Toronto. We aim to show that mental health is a real and common problem in our age group and that there are resources available to us.

Most of us have stared mental health in the face at one time in our lives, be it stress from exams, the fallout from a relationship ending or battling through Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter. When our staff first started brainstorming for this issue, many of us shared personal experiences or stories of friends who struggled with mental illness. It’s important for us, as students and classmates, to open up to one another about the struggles we face, so we can deal with them together.

We recognize that this issue deals with a lot of heavy material and we encourage our readers who are suffering from mental health to seek help if any of the content is overwhelming. If you are struggling please seek help from a friend, a family member or a professionaL

Anyone who suspects they or a friend may need immediate help can call the Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team at 429-8167 or toll free at 1-888-429-8167.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on Oct. 2, 2009.

The hole in our health care

Holly Huntley
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The prevalence of mental illness in university students is growing.

And according to one researcher, we’re a long way away from reversing that trend.

Dr. Stan Kutcher is the Chair of Adolescent Mental Health at the IWK Health Centre. He is also the Chair of Dalhousie’s Department of Psychiatry. He is a local, national and international expert in the field.

“Mental disorders are the single largest health problem for young people,” he says. “Most mental disorders start before age 25, and many of the disorders that start at this age, i.e. depression, manic depression, some anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and schizophrenia, are chronic iIInesses.”

At Dalhousie University, the growing problem can be measured at one place. Last year was the Counselling Services Centre’s busiest year ever. More than 1,500 students from Dal, King’s and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design used their services.

But Victor Day, the director of the centre, says that they are unable to meet all of the needs because they do not have the resources.

“Many students seek individual counselling, and we cannot meet all expectations or requests, and we do encourage some who ask for individual counselling to try group programs and workshops,” Day wrote in an email.

A Dal student, who wishes to remain anonvmous, says there’s a lack of attention to the types of counselling available.

“It could be streamlined by having short descriptions of who to contact with a range of problems,” says the third year medical student who uses the centre to cope with learning difficulties.

“There was nothing in the description of services that could speak to that, so counselling is what people recommended,” she says.

Kutcher says this shortage of treatment resources is not unique to universities. But he says that through “innovative partnershrps” service providers can fight the “grossly insufficient” resources in the system.

He says mental health service providers are working in silos when they should be working together.

“I don’t really know exactly what Dal’s counselling services linkages arc, but they have never come to us (at the IWK) asking to collaborate, and we have tremendous expertise with mental illness,” he says.

“It is a complex problem and it requires a complex solution. Sharing resources and services will save them money.”

About 15 per cent of university students will be diagnosed with a mental illness while at school, a recent article in the Globe and Mail says. But this is a misleading number. More than half of students struggling with their mental health don’t ask for help.

Kutcher says people don’t seek help in part because of the stigma surrounding mental illness. To fight stigma, Kutcher and his team at the IWK wrote a booklet called Transitions. It’s a how-to guide for students moving up from high school to university. It delivers information in a way that encourages readers to talk about factors like peer pressure, eating disorders, alcohol, gambling and suicide freely, and self-help seek if they need to.

The booklet was meant to be included in every Halifax university’s orientation pack. The IWK gave it out for free the first year, and universities would have to buy the program in consecutive years.

All the universities in Halifax boughtt the booklet after the first year except Dal. Day says that when VP (student services) Dr. Bonnie Neuman asked about counselling services’ experience with Transitions they told her that none of the 1,525 students they had last year indicated learning about the centre through the booklet.

No mental health information was included in this year’s frosh packages. But the packages did include a USB drive that contained information on Dal’s Counselling Centre, which is an overburdened resource. The busiest year for the centre was last year – regular patients waited an average of 38 days before receiving treatment. The centre’s prioritized wait times are based on a triage system.

But a direct question about Transitions was not on the survey that Day is basing his data on. Kutcher says that in his survey of students from all of Halifax’s universities, 20 per cent sard they sought mental health help, and 40 per cent talked about mental health with a friend, as a result of reading Transitions.

Kutcher says it is the responsibility of the institution to provide info about good health care to its students.

“If Dal is providing informatron about nutrition or sexual health they should be equally providing information about (mental illness). To do otherwise is to discriminate.”

With files from Lucy Scholey

This article originally appeared in issue 142-02, published on Oct. 2, 2009.

Alex Fountain: Brother, son, friend

Tim Mitchell
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Alex Fountain was at a karaoke bar in Halifax with a group of friends. He noticed a pretty girl outside of the bar smoking, and he wanted to talk to her. He didn’t know who she was, but that didn’t matter. He walked right up to her and asked for a cigarette.

She gave him one.

He thanked her.

Alex didn’t smoke, but now he had an excuse to talk to her. They talked for a while, and when they went back into the bar, Alex Jumped up on stage, and took the microphone.

“This is for that pretty girl over there,”· he said, pointing to her. “This is for you babe,” and Alex sang that song “Drops Of Jupiter” by Train.

Alex was no stranger to the spotlight, and with his outgoing altitude and quirky personality it wasn’t difficult for him to make new friends.

One of those friends is Andrew Neville.

“We’ve been pretty close friends for about three or four years,” says Neville, who met Alex at a hardcore music show in Halifax. “I had known Katherine, his younger sister. I feel like she probably introduced him.”

Alex and Neville were brought together by their love of music and live shows. They, along with their friends, often went on road trips together, just to see bands they all loved.

They drove to Truro and PEI several times, but their first road trip to Montreal in 2007 sticks out in Neville’s mind.

“I think we left at about seven in the morning. It was Alex’s first time driving any sort of distance, so it was kind of a funny trip. l think we made the drive there in like 11 hours or something unheard of like that,” says Neville with a laugh. “Alex’s rationale was, ‘If l stop I’ll get tired, so I’ll just drive as fast as l can the whole way.’ ”

Alex even made a mix CD for the trip with about 100 songs so they didn’t have to hear the same tune twice.

Music was a big part of his life, and through the Halifax music scene he forged many friendships. He played guitar or bass in several local bands that were beginning to make names for themselves. Alex even sang and wrote insightful lyrics for some of them:

“Every day you push your body to the limit is a day that you can say was well-worth living, and you’ll sleep so much easier when night falls. So fucking push it! Go! There’s no sense staying inside. When you’re feeling low, your bedroom’s no place to hide. Embrace the sunlight. Relieve the throbbing pain that hides behind your eyes, and let yourself cry, and eventually, one of these days, you’ll let yourself smile.”

These are some of Alex’s lyrics from his band Empathy Takes Energy. The song is titled “A Day Worth Living.”

You would easily recognize Alex at a show. He was always the one surrounded by good friends, with an unmistakable kind-hearted smile upon his face.

“He was very consoling and always good to talk to, and always willing to hear out what you had to say, which was probably his best quality,” says Neville. “He was always genuinely interested in the people he kept close, and he really cared about what they had to say. It was the thing that, when I think of Alex, that’s what I think of most. He was really fun.”

Alex stopped going to so many shows over the summer. He started keeping to himself.

“You’d ask him how he was doing and he would say, ‘I’m OK, I’m OK.'”

He put up a very strong front, but Alex was suffering from clinical depression.

“It had been apparent that he was different, but in social situations he was still outgoing and jovial. There were subtle differences I guess. He stopped hanging out a lot, started spending more time alone.”

On August 22, 2009, Alex took his life. He was 20. No one saw it coming. “It fucking sucks. I’m not going to mix words about that. It was really the farthest thing from my mind,” says Neville. “I had known he was sort of down, but I guess I didn’t know the severity of it, or the extent. He knew that people cared about him. At least I really hope he knew that, because I definitely cared a lot about him. He was one of the best people I’ve ever known.”

Alex grew up in the Head of St. Margaret’s Bay with his parents, Fred and Elizabeth, and his younger sister Katharine.

“Leading up to his death, we were talking every day – just very open about things – which is why it was such a shock,” says Katharine. “He was so open with me and my parents that you’d think you would see something like this coming, but I just didn’t.”

Katharine and Alex were very close growing up.

“He was awesome. I couldn’t have asked for a better big brother,” she says. “We did a lot of things together, I guess because my parents are really family oriented. He was really passive. He wasn’t a child that liked to play with fake guns. We always made up random stories with stuffed animals. All that silly stuff.”

It was on Alex’s 12th birthday that he received his first guitar – a red Stratocaster.

“He’d make me sweet homemade CDs, make the mix CD and then do up the artwork for the case,” says Katharine. Alex graduated from Sir John A. MacDonald high school in 2006. He was accepted to the University of King’s College and moved into his dorm room the following year. This year would have been his fourth year of studies. He wanted to be a teacher.

“He was always there for relationship advice. One lime l got in a fight with my boyfriend and we were going to go to a concert, but instead Alex and I went to Modest Mouse together. He was always there for me when I needed somebody. so I’d just text him or call him.”

That concert was the last time Alex and Katharine got to hang out together.

“I’ve had to cope with it a lot, just getting out and living life instead of sitting around and dwelling on it. lt’s like I’m crying but I’m laughing, because I’m thinking of all these hilarious times that we had. Even though he’s gone, I feel really lucky for these 18 years. l got to have such a good relationship with my sibling and some people never even get to have that in their life.”

Editor’s note: Alex Fountain was an Arts Contributor to the Dal Gazette, and a very talented writer. We’ll miss your smile around the office Alex.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on October 2, 2009.

Mental health resources for youth

Hilary Beaumont
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University is like a petri dish for mental health problems. Young people, often for the first time, are away from home, dealing with serious financial as well as academic responsibilities. We are also expected to develop a whole new social life, stacked high with the pressures of sex, drugs and alcohol.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) estimates ten to 20 per cent of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder. That’s as many as 100 of your 500 Facebook friends.

Schizophrenia strikes youth aged 16 to 30 more than in any other age group, according to the CMHA, affecting about one in 100 people. “That’s five students in your first year biology class.”

Suicide is the second most common cause of death for Canadians aged 15 to 24, accounting for one in four deaths. The CMHA estimates 4,000 Canadians die each year because of suicide.

Often help may seem out of reach for someone experiencing severe mental illness, but we’ve compiled a list of mental health resources that cater to youth. The CMHA says 80 per cent of people who experience depression can be helped once the illness is recognized.

If you think you might suffer from a mental disorder, use these resources. You won’t need a referral for most of them, and confidentiality is guaranteed. But the key to fighting mental problems, in yourself and in our society, is accepting they are a public health problem. There is nothing shameful or strange about your suffering. And there are so many different ways to get help.

Emergency help:

If you or a friend experiences an emergency, such as thoughts of suicide or psychosis, call the Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team at 429-8167 or toll-free at 1-888-429-8167. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The mobile team is able to pick you up between 1 p.m and 1 a.m. and drive you to the IWK’s emergency department. They will ensure you go through the proper check-in procedures. Or call the Metro Help Line at 494-2081. This line offers suicide and crisis intervention, counselling referrals and over-the-phone counselling from 8 a.m to 11:30 p.m.

Web resources:

The Canadian Centre for Suicide Prevention:

www.suicideinfo.ca

The Canadian Mental Health Association:

www.cmha.ca

Mental Health Canada: www.mentalhealthcanada.com

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health:

www.camh.net

Community Mental Health Services:

www.cdha.nshealth.ca, www.ourhealthyminds.com

On Campus:

Dalhousie Counselling Services

Located on the fourth floor of the Student Union Building, the appointment-based Dal Counselling Centre is open to all Dal, King’s and NSCAD students. This service offers a variety of workshops to combat stress, anxiety, grief or loss, but also allows students to speak directly to a counsellor about a range of mental health disorders.

Students can make priority-based appointments, but often wait lists during exam time can be up to five weeks long.

Fortunately the centre also keeps hours open daily for students who need immediate help. To request immediate help in an emergency situation, call 494·2081.

The Dalhousie Counselling Centre is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Call 494-2081 to make an appointment. Visit counsellingservices.dal.ca for more information.

The Dal Counselling Centre is a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community through Allies at Dal.

Dalhousie Counselling Centre Workshops:

Anger management: This counselling program aims to help students identify anger triggers and understand myths about anger; helping them to reduce anger intensity. This course is not suitable for students who experience angry feelings after drinking alcohol.

Self-esteem improvement: Students with insecurities might benefit from this weekly program of five 90-minute sessions. Often low confidence can worsen on a busy campus, but with coaching, students can work on asserting themselves and building their overall confidence.

Eating disorders group: This group is for students who expenence regular problems eating, such as overeating, bulimia, anorexia, binging or purging. This program aims to connect possible underlying emotions with eating disorders. This group provides a safe space for students to talk freely about their eating habits on a weekly basis.

Overcoming depression group: This eight·session program may help students who are dealing with symptoms of depression, such as fatigue or decreased energy, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, insomnia, feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness, regular anxious or sad feelings and, sometimes, thoughts ·of suicide. This program includes group discussion and individual tasks.

Other workshops include healthy relationships, managing anxiety, parental divorce, relationship loss, and sleep and relaxation groups. Visit counsellingservices.dal.ca for more information or call 494-2081 to express your interest in joining a group.

The Feeling Better Program

For Dal, King’s or NSCAD students who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress, and who are not already seeing a psychologist, this new online program provides self-help on the go.

Students can work through five core and six optional modules on their laptops, spending only one to two hours on each level. They will also have regular contact with a coach over the phone or by e-mail.

Interested students can e-mail fbcoachl@dal.ca for more information. This service is provided through Dal Counselling Services.

The Mark A. Hill Accessibility Centre

Snuggled between the Dal quad and the stairs outside the Killam Library, the Accessibility Centre is not only a resource for students with physical disabilities – it also provides help for those who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities and mental health disorders.

The centre’s services include help in finding funding, tutors, note-takers, readers and scribes. Through the Accessibility Centre, students can also arrange to take exams m an environment or time slot more suitable for them.

Call 494-2836 or e-mail access@dal.ca for more information. Or check the centre out online at studentaccessibility.dal.ca.

The Dalhousie Women’s Centre

This centre is located in a cozy white house on South Street near Dalplex. The volunteers at the women’s centre can refer students to queer-friendly practitioners in Halifax. The volunteers are also trained to help during crisis situations.

The centre is open to people of all genders and is a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community. Studies on suicide rates among youth in the LGBTQ community are rare, but in 2003, a study done in British Columbia found that young lesbian women are up to five times more likely to attempt suicide than young heterosexual women.

Call 494-2432 or e-mail dwc@dal.ca. Or visit the website: www.dalwomenscentre.ca.

Residence Assistants

Every RA in Dal residence, even mini-res, has gone through crisis and suicide prevention training. RAs are expected to have an open door policy with the students in their section of residence. Students can knock on their RA’s door at any hour of the day or night to receive amateur counselling. RAs will usually refer students to Dal Counselling Services, but are trained to listen and help students in crisis situations.

Dalhousie Health Clinic

Though this clinic on the first floor of Howe Hall has a bad reputation for mental health services, it is still a valuable on-campus resource. During summer hours and exam time, the clime should not be your first resource, but Dal students with insurance or a student health plan can make appointments with a psychiatrist.

The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

This service is not a walk-in clinic, but the nurses will not turn away a student who comes to them in the midst of a crisis.

To make an appoinment, call 494-2171. Don’t miss your appointment – you’ll be billed $30.

Peer Health

Though Peer Health, Dal’s “Health and wellness source”,· has no information on mental health posted on their website, The Gazette was able to gain information from a student who went through Peer Health orientation

The “Mind-Body Health” division of Peer Health, according to the orientation guide, provides programs for students such as yoga and meditation, stress and anxiety, time management and positive body image workshops.

E-mail the Peer Health communications team at peerhealth@dal.ca for more information. Don’t visit the website.

Yes! Plus (offered by the Art of Living Foundation)

If you have $300 to drop and a few free days, this might be the program for you. This monthly six-day workshop that takes place in the Student Union Building claims to eliminate stress, increase mental clarity and improve productivity simply through meditation and breathing techniques. The next workshop starts in late October.

E-mail halifaxyouthteam@artofliving.ca or call 412-3042 to sign up. Proceeds go toward humanitarian efforts worldwide.

Off Campus:

Community Mental Health Services

If you don’t know where to go, Capital Health’s Community Mental Health Services is a good place to start. It is a community outpatient service that offers general mental health service. The staff is trained to work with individuals and families dealing with mental illnesses such as anxiety, complex depression, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorders and schizophrenia. The services provided range from initial one-on-one mental health assessments to group and individual therapy, and family and community education. Because this is a part of Capital District Health, it is covered by health insurance. The Com- mumty Mental Health Service can be accessed through a referral by a doctor, agency, family member, or by self-referral.

The outpatient service is located at 7071 Bayers Rd., Suite 109, and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call 454-1400 or 454-1440. Or visit www.ourhealthyminds.com.

Healthy Minds Co-operative

This co-operative is a member owned and democratically run not-for-profit mental health enterprise. They help members move through the health system, or find peers who are gomg through the same things they are. They have an abundant list of mental health resources and can point you in the right direction with a referral if it is not clear where to turn. To become a member, simply fill out a form and pay the one time membership fee of $5. The Healthy Minds Co-operative ts located at 7071 Bayers Rd., Suite 112, and can be reached at 404-3504. Visit the co-op online at www.healthyminds.ca.

IWK Mental Health and Addictions Service

The IWK Mental Health and Addictions Service provides many different mental health programs to individuals under the age of 19. If you are under 19 and would like to access the programs provided by the IWK, the first step is to call Central Referral at the IWK. They will be able to assess you and tell you what program would best suit your mental health needs. The IWK also has a Mental Health Crisis team located in the emergency department (call 1-888-429-8167). This team deals with cases that would need hospitalization, such as manic or psychotic episodes, severe depression and suicidal or homicidal feelings. Contact the IWK Central Referral at 464-4110. www.1wk.nshealth.ca.

Mental Health First Aid Workshop

Built like the mental health equivalent to First Aid programs, Mental Health First Aid is a government-sponsored program that trains people to act as first responders to those who are suffenng from a mental illness or crisis. Participants in the Mental Health First Aid workshops will learn the symptoms and signs of mental illness as well as the resources available to those who suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorders, among others. The basic course is 12-hours long, delivered in four three-hour parts. The registration fee is $50. Sign up by calling Tony Prime at 424-7235. The next available course will be Dec. 10 and 11, at the joseph Howe Build- ing at 1690 Hollis St. For more information about Mental Health First Aid and a description of the course content visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca.

Canadian Mental Health Association

The Canadian Mental Health Association, a nation-wide voluntary mental health organization, is a great source for information on mental health. The Halifax-Dartmouth Branch of the CMHA is located in the Bloomfield Center, 2786 Agncola St. Although the CMHA doesn’t have counselling services, it is a great resource centre. They work to provide a huge variety of supports to people who need it. They have social clubs, such as the Among Friends Social Club (86A Portland St., Dartmouth, 463-2187) and the Sharing and Caring Social Club (Room 114, Bloomfield Center, 455-0072).

The CMHA is also a great place to get involved as a volunteer. The Building Bridges Program (455-6983) is a program that matches a volunteer with an individual who has dealt with a mental illness to share leisure interests in the community or Halifax.

If you would like to find out more about the Canadian Mental Health Association and its programs check out www.cmhahadart.ca. The Links section on the website also provides an extensive list of mental health resources around Halifax and Dartmouth.

Laing House

Lamg House runs on a peer support system, providing help for youth with mental illness. It is aimed at individuals between the ages of 16 and 30 who have suffered from mood disorders, psychosis or anxiety disorders and are looking for help rebuilding their lives. Laing has programs about education, healthy living, employment, family and peer support, and community outreach.

The programs, which have largely been developed by youth in its community, aim to help other youth develop their own skills and talents.

Laing House, found at 1225 Barrington St., is a space for individuals to come and relax, do laundry, participate in workshops or get one-on-one help from the Community Support Staff.

Laing House also tries to break down the stigmas surrounding mental illness with programs like Youth Speak, where members go out into the community to talk about their experiences living with a mental illness.

To become a part of Laing House you don’t need a referral. The programs and services provided by Laing House are free.

To find out more about the organization, or to see if it is the right resource for you, call Laing House’s programming staff at 425-9018, or visit www.lainghouse.org.

Self-Help Connection

Self Help Connection promotes self-help groups around the province. They are a valuable networking service for the health needs of Nova Scotians. Self-Help Connection also has the capacity to perform research and evaluation of self-help and mental health issues. Although Self-Help Connection doesn’t specialize in mental health issues, it is a fantastic resource to use if you are looking to better your mental health through peer support or self help groups.

Self Help Connection is located on the second floor of the Canadian Mental Health Building, 63 King St., Dartmouth. For more information about the organization, call 466-2011 or 1-866-765-6639. Visit www.selfhelpconnection.ca.

Teen Mental Health

The Teen Mental Health website, www.teenmentalhealth.org, is a project of the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health, the IWK Health Center and Dalhousie University. The website’s goal is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of mental illness in hopes of improving the disability felt by young people with mental disorders. It is a fantastic resource for anything from information about the teen brain and how to understand mental illness, to information for professionals. It is run by Stan Kutcher; the expert interviewed in Holly Huntley’s news article in this issue about the state of mental health counselling at our university.

With files from Bethany Horne.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on Oct. 2, 2009.

Monk-style living, rich in meditation

Samantha Durnford
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The Hare Krishna monks who live on Quinpool Road are looking for a roommate. Their apartment, called the Ashram, is open to anyone curious about their lifestyle. Visitors walk into the meditation room, where a traditional Krishna Mantra is displayed on the wall.

Nitai Rama Dasa, 35, says they’re looking for a fourth male roommate willing to learn about the monk lifestyle.

Nitat says the new roommate would gain “peace of mind” living with them and “have a place where you can learn to nourish and take care of your soul.”

The monks practice mantra meditation, bhakti yoga, vegetarian eating and celibacy. They don’t drink, gamble or watch TV. Nitai says a person living with them wouldn’t have to hold himself to these rules.

“They wouldn’t be expected to be a monk,” says Nitai. “But there would be certain requirements. They’d have to follow the principles, have some commitment for meditation.”

For $500 a month all in, including two vegetarian meals a day, living with the monks isn’t a bad deal.

But 22-year-old Dustin Hingley, another roommate at the Ashram, says it’s more. Sure cheap rent is good;’ says Hingley. “But we offer nounshment for the soul and that’s something hard to come across. When you can find an atmosphere that is potent with nounshment, there’s a lot of benefit.”

‘Also, we are very clean'” he mentions with a laugh.

The house is tidy, spactous and soothing. Filled with light and lots ofspace for cooking and meditation, it looks like a good place to study as well.

Jeff Greydanus, 20, the third monk in the Ashram, says the monks teach life lessons.

“Living in this atmosphere you can learn a lot about social relationships,” says Greydanus. “You learn things you don’t learn in school. Things they don’t address, all the moral things. We teach you things you need in a social life, but in a spiritual way.”

Matthew Campbell and Jordan Stark, both fourth year students at Dalhousie University, met the monks this summer.

“The monks are great,” says Stark. “Rarely have I met individuals that are so generous, kind and authentic.”

After meeting on Spring Garden Road where the monks sometimes hand out pamphlets about Hare Krishna, they invited Campbell back to the Ashram for dinner.

“The monks nourish your mind, body and soul,” says Campbell. “The food is like none I’ve ever had before.”

Any roommate would have to get used to the constant visitors to the Ashram. People are welcome to go there to meditate, discuss philosophy, join the monks for a meal and learn how to cook vegetarian.

“Anyone can come,” says Nitai. “Religion doesn’t matter, we’re open to all people.” They turn up their Mantra chant, often played with their own drums and bells, as I leave. They hand me an apple because they believe no one should leave the Ashram hungry.

These monks are people you need to meet.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on Oct. 2, 2009.

Improving your mental health can be as easy as 1-2-3

Rachel Sunter
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Between the morning coffee you’re already addicted to, the lunch you forgot to pack and that late-evening feeling of slipping behind on your schoolwork or credit card payments, it’s hard to find time to fortify your mental health.

The good news is psychological and neurological studies are finding that little things you do every day can actually have a profound and long-term impact on your mental health. Whether it’s taking a five-minute break to think happy thoughts or trying today’s crossword, it is possible to fit mentally healthful activities into any schedule.

Use your head

With global dementia rates estimated around 35 million people, today’s researchers are exploring connections between mental exercises and how they affect deteriorating brain function later in life.

Worldwide studies in mental performance suggest that exercising your brain with challenging activities can dramatically impact neural degeneration later in life. Like a muscle, your brain improves and sustains Itself with regular use. Some studies have looked to higher education, career paths and even socioeconomic standings as ways of predicting dementia later in life, and have indeed found correlations.

More interesting yet are those studies showing that simple but challenging daily activities can improve thought processes, memory and ability to focus.

A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that crosswords, which involve memory retrieval, have been linked to lower chances of dementia. Reading. playing board games, playing musical instruments and dancing were other activities that appeared to reduce dementia. The more frequently the stimulating activity was done each week, the better the results by a wide margin. So get thinking!

Use your body, too

Though psychotherapy and medications are usually the first prescriptions for mental illness, physical exercise is now recognized as a potent antidepressant.

According to research findings presented by the American Psychological Association, physical exercise works as an antidepressant for people of all ages, becoming more effective as we age. Furthermore, a 1999 study at Duke University found that exercise alone was in fact more effective than medication in the long-term.

All modes of exercise – walking, jogging, aerobics and weights – done as little as three times a week, have been shown to lessen depression to some degree. These activities have had the added benefits of improving anxiety issues, self-esteem and addictions. Many recent studies are now making ties between physical activity and mental deterioration, exploring how physical activity appears to increase brain cognitive abilities and even ward off Alzheimer’s and dementia.

If you’re interested in being more active, start slow and gradually increase the amount of time you’re active and the intensity of your activity to avoid overdoing it mentally or physically. Your personal preferences mean the world when it comes to using exercise as a relaxant, energizer or anti depressant, so try different things out until you find an activity you enjoy. You’ll be more likely to stick with an activity that you enjoy doing.

Rethink success

Positive thinking is no joke in the scientific world. Dwelling on your perceived failures and expecting the worst from life can bring about or prolong a slew of mental health issues, like anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, assertiveness issues, addictions and low self-esteem. Rethinking success means rethinking failure, too. Accept that as humans we are inherently prone to fall as well as succeed. Positive thinking will not only fortify you against self-defeating thought patterns, but its acquisition is sometimes integral to recovery from mental and physical illness. If you’re worried about negative thinking habits, talk to a counsellor or psychologist. There are a plethora of self-help books out there preaching simple ‘rules’ for success and happiness, but quite often negative thinking habits are routed in deeper wounds that may need tending to. For new and inspiring perspectives on success and how to live happily, I would recommend checking out Ted.com to watch a mind-blowing speech or two. “John Wooden on True Success” is a personal favourite.

This article was originally published in issue 142-04 on October 2, 2009.

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