Widespread of Common Mental Health Problems:
According to government statistics, mental health problems affect the Canadian population alot, as millions Canadians have been diagnosed in 2022 with a mood, anxiety or substance-related disorders. For anxiety disorders, the 12-month widespread rate was 2.6% in 2012 but has increased to 5.2% in 2022. Also, depressive episodes increased with the widespread rate of 4.7% in 2012 increased to 7.6% in 2022. There was also an increase in the rate of bipolar disorder because it increased from 1.5% to 2.1%. (1)
Main Causes of Mental Health Problems:
Socio-economic factors are often one of the main causes of mental health problems which is essentially being worried about your social and economc situation. Also, stressful life events can be a cause as people process things differently in ways that are either healthy or not healthy which can often times be harmful to others or to themselves. Family history is also another cause because this can impact people on who they go to for help whether it is for a job or for mental health help, and often when families see this as a weakness, it causes the person to hide it, digging themselves into a bigger whole. (2)
Why Promoting Mental Well-Being Is Important:
Physical illnesses can happen as mental well-being is a huge part of health which can result to physical illness, such as chronic pain and heart problems, while good mental health supports all parts of health. (3) Economic and social costs can be the consequences of poor mental health as it has a heavy social and economic burden like due to loss of productivity, unemployment can occur which adds more burdens onto people. (4) Quality of life often goes down for ones without treated mental health disorders as they might struggle with daily tasks, such as doing laundry or doing the dishes. (1). This shows how by promoting mental well-being and reducing judgement, it’s possible to encourage seeking for help early, improving recovery rates. (2)
Resources:
- https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2023053-eng.htm
- https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/mental-illness-canada-infographic/mental-illness-canada-infographic.pdf
- https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/4691-mental-health-canadians-it-matters
- https://www.canadianliving.com/health-fitness/mind-and-spirit/article/mental-health-issues-in-canada-are-more-common-than-you-think
Thank you for reading!
Hi Parmis,
I was interested in your question, because like yourself, my inquiry question this semester is largely focused on mental health and how solving some of these problems can impact humans not only mentally, but physically on a worldly scale. In your next blog post, I believe you can look specifically at the rooted causes of mental health, such as experiences in childhood and identity changes in social situations during teenager years. Even more, when you look at teenagers, you can talk about the inaccuracy in statistics, because of how many people do not speak about their mental health issues. One source that can help you with busting myths between mental health vs reality is: https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/fact-sheets/equityindiversity/fact-sheet-common-mental-health-myths-and-misconceptions/
This source really helped explain mental health problems more clearly and why people do not speak out about them.
Overall your blog post was really well explained in simple terms, so that everybody could understand and your pictures were well chosen to fit the post. Good luck with your next blog post!
– Ariana
Hello Parmis,
I found your blog post captivating! I like how you broke your text into short paragraphs, making it easy to follow as a reader. It was very educational reading a few of the main causes of mental health problems. I never knew that family history is a factor that can lead to mental health complications, so it was super insightful to learn more about this. In addition, finishing off your blog post with a piece about why promoting mental health is so powerful was a perfect end to the Inquiry. One recommendation I would make is to create bold titles for each new set of information. By doing this, readers will have an easier time to follow and distinguish new topics being introduced apart from the text. A resource you may find helpful in regards to your topic is, https://www.turningpointinterventions.com/top-causes-of-mental-health-issues-how-to-address-them/. Another source that can contribute to your findings is, https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/factors-affect-mental-health.
Overall, your work looks very polished, in an organized manner. Looking forward to your upcoming work. I’m sure the future projects are going to be remarkable!
–Vanessa Vukovic
Hi Parmis,
Thanks for sharing your blog post! I really enjoyed how you explained the increase in mental health problems over the years because it really highlights why this topic is so relevant today. I also liked how you connected the causes of mental health problems to real-world situations, like stress and family dynamics, which makes your post relatable. It was great how you explained the broader impacts of mental health, including economic and social consequences, because it tells readers why promoting mental well-being matters. One way to make your post even stronger would be to include real-life examples or stories of people who have faced mental health challenges so readers can connect with the topic on a personal level. You could also suggest practical ways that individuals or communities can promote mental well-being to make your post more actionable. Overall, your post shows that you are thinking critically about an important topic, and I am excited to see how you develop your ideas further.