Week 1 - Foundational Concepts & Frameworks for Promoting the Mental Health of Individuals and Communities; Inclusive of Substance Use Spectrum

what is mental health?

enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community

capacity for us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face

more than the absence or presence of illness

what does mental health mean, as described by Keyes?

flourishing -- presence of positive emotions and good functioning in life

subjective sense of well being --> positive functioning in life

flourishing requires 3 types of well being. list them.

psychological well being

emotional well being

social well being

define the following:

-psychological well being

-emotional well being

-social well being

1. positive functioning in personal life

2. positive feelings about life and the absence of negative feelings

3. positive functioning in society and one's community

what is poor mental health / mental illness, as described by Keyes?

languishing -- absence of positive mental health despite not necessarily having a mental illness

emptiness, stagnation, "the end"

**diagnosed clinical conditions that are NOT the opposite of mental health

mental health continuum (Keyes): describe the following...

-mental illness & good MH

-mental illness & poor MH

-no mental illness & good MH

-no mental illness & poor MH

mental health is addressed on 4 levels. what are they?

individual: resilience, control, physical activity, substance use

family: relationships, parenting style, household composition

community: social networks, school, workplace, environment

society: inequalities, politics, discrimination, stigma

the First Nations mental wellness continuum emphasizes that mental wellness is a...

balance of the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional

mental wellness is enriched as individuals have....

-PURPOSE in their daily lives

-HOPE for their future and those of their families, grounded in a sense of identity

-sense of BELONGING and connectedness within their families, to community, and to culture

-sense of MEANING and an understanding of their lives in history

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: history

understanding ancestral histories of place, resilience, perseverance, family, community via intergenerational learning

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: culture

intergenerational learning and transmission of Indigenous knowledge

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: indigenous youth

relationality and connectedness to ancestors, family, community, spirit, lands

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: immediate

developing positive strengths-based interactions with caregivers, peers, schools, community

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: surrounding

promoting positive interactions between 2 or more immediate contexts

Indigenist ecological systems model contexts: distant

promoting positive policy changes and advocacy through societal and human service systems (governance systems, sports teams, healthcare system, media)

what does the substance use spectrum demonstrate?

-substance use is across a spectrum, people vary in stages

-not all substance use is bad (medical, religious, ceremonial)

stages of the substance use spectrum

-non use

-beneficial use

-lower risk use

-higher risk use

-addiction (substance use disorder)

non use

avoiding use of substances (abstinence)

beneficial use

use that has positive health, spiritual, or social impact

lower risk use

use that has minimal impact to a person, their family, friends and others

-eg. drinking or cannabis use following the low risk guidelines

higher risk use

use that has a harmful and negative impact to a person, their family, friends and others

-eg. use of illegal drugs, impaired driving, binge drinking, combining multiple substances, increasing frequency and quantity

addiction

treatable medical condition that affects the brain and involves compulsive and continuous use despite negative impacts

-when someone cannot stop using even if they want to

what is harm reduction defined as?

an approach, set of strategies, policy or program designed to reduce substance-related harm without requiring abstinence

with harm reduction, it aims to work with people who use substances as partners to....

-reduce negative consequences related to substance use

-promote public health, human rights, and social justice

-promotes equity, inclusion, dignity, self-determination

what is trauma?

experience of, and response to, a negative event or events that threaten the person's safety or life

includes responses such as shock, terror, shame, and powerlessness

what is the goal of trauma and violence-informed approaches?

-minimize harm to individuals, not treat the trauma

-aim to increase safety, control, and resilience

4 core principles of a trauma and violence-informed approach

Realize.

Recognize.

Respond.

Reduce Re-traumatization.

3 important reasons to implement trauma and violence-informed approaches

1. increase attention on the impact of violence on people's lives and well-being

2. reduce harm

3. improve system responses for everyone

4 aspects of trauma and violence-informed care

1. understand trauma and violence, and its impact on lives and behaviour

2. create emotionally and physically safe environments

3. fosster opportunities for choice, collaboration

4. use a strengths-based and capacity-building approach

what does "moving away from what is wrong to what has happened?"

instead of thinking "what is wrong with the person?", one should be asking "what has happened to the person?"

enables you to try to understand what the other person has experienced or events which may influence their behaviours

what is stigma?

negative attitude or belief toward someone or something

occurs in forms such as dehumanizing language, stereotypes, and social exclusion

correlation between stigma and mental health conditions

affects how people with mental health or substance use concerns are seen, treated, and how they see themselves.

significantly creates barriers to accessing quality care

cultural competency

knowledge and awareness of cultural and health related beliefs, practices, and cultural values

cultural humility

self-reflection of personal place of power, identity and biases and how that may interface when interacting with people

process of reflection rather than outcome

cultural safety

decolonizing services, systems and policies to mitigate the potential harms, traumas and lack of safety that people experience

places responsibility for creating safety on service providers