Most mental health problems can be treated, and people can recover while maintaining day‑to‑day functioning. Support comes in many forms:
- Therapy & counselling — individual or group
- Psychosocial interventions
- Medication when appropriate (Institute of Health Economics, 2014)
People can also access community supports like outreach programs, income assistance, vocational supports, housing supports, peer support groups, and self‑help organizations. In Ontario, care is available through community health services, family doctors, psychiatrists, hospitals, outpatient programs, clinics, and private practitioners (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2015b).
Just as important are informal, self‑guided practices that help people understand and manage their mental health. These can include:
- noticing thought patterns and emotions
- paying attention to body reactions
- repeating positive messages
- eating well
- relaxing
- making art
- exercising
- listening to music
- sleeping
- spending time outside
- practicing mindfulness
Everyone’s path is different. Over time, each person learns what works best for them (CMHA BC & AnxietyBC, 2016).