Mental Health, the Media and Feminism

Early adolescence is when young women need to learn to deconstruct the beauty myth.(Sheridan, 2001) How are young women as well as young men supposed to do this when they are bombarded by the media telling them how to live the perfect life?

Young women and men are being influenced by the media everyday of their lives.  They see thin, beautiful people succeeding in the shows they watch, the songs they listen to, and sell the products they want to buy. These young men and women strive for this perfectness that is created specifically to sell.  In their efforts to become what they are told is perfect they may develop mental health issues such as eating disorders.

In 2005, more than 500,000 Canadians suffered from some sort of eating disorder.("Eating disorder statistics," )  This is a shocking, yet somewhat understandable statistic because of the pressure that the media creates.  Every second commercial on t.v. seems to be one about some kind of new diet out there and other commercials are accentuating how beauty equals power in life.  What the women and men affected by these disorders need help realizing is that these ideals are not the norm.

In some ways the media is oppressive and something needs to be done in order to liberate these individuals from feeling the need to conform.  The liberal feminist remedy for gender inequality is to reform (not transform) social institutions. (Mullally, 2007) Even though the media affects both women and men there is an emphasis on what is suppose to be the norm for women. 

Gender inequality in the media appears in a significant number of ads, t.v. shows, etc. and it would be beneficial to reform the way it is presented.  A radical change in the way media is made would not be a realistic goal.  Sometimes the audience wants to see amazingly unattainable beauty but incorporating all different  types of people would be a big step.  

Alexis B.

References:

Eating disorder statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hopewell.ca/content/canadian-statistics

Mullaly, B. (2007). The new structural social work. Canada: Oxford University Press.

Sheridan, N. (2001). Beyond ophelia: feminism for girls. Canadian Woman Studies, 20. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/pqdweb?did=000000646362421&Fmt=3&cli entId=43168&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Meeting My New Grandma

http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/family/poetry.asp?poem=19446

Meeting My New Grandma

© Jackie

That lady I met in the nursing home, 

she looked so much like Grandma.

I thought it was her for a while, 

but then she turned around and wasn’t wearing a smile.

Mom pulled her over

and said she was Grandma.

How could this be?

My grandma would never ignore me.

She did look a lot like her, 

and dress like her too.

But this is not the Grandma I once knew, 

This is not Grandma, what mom said can’t be true.

This Grandma was talking and making no sense; 

she had tears and her eyes seemed so sad.

This is some other girls Grandma, not mine.

My Grandma is healthy and happy and fine.

Mom was talking to the nurse, 

about a disease call Alzheimer’s.

That doesn’t have a cure, 

and Grandma has it, the doctors are sure.

She does not recognize me, 

she stumbles and she mumbles.

She’s forgot everything that she used to know.

She is a different person, a new Grandma Lo.

The new grandma looks just like the old, 

but in her mind it is different.

She may not be the Grandma I love and know, 

but she will always be my Grandma Lo.

This poem not only accentuates the difficulty one suffers when affected by alzheimer’s but also the pain suffered by their family members.

Growing old is a fact of life but growing old and developing a mental disability isn’t. Some mental disabilities unfortunately are unpredictable and unpreventable such as alzheimer’s. However, no matter the disability, the quality of life that the elderly live does not and should not have to change. It is important for family members to realize that the disability is not who their loved one is, it is only something they have. Just as in the poem the narrator says, “she may not be the Grandma I love and know but she will always be my Grandma Lo.”

It is important that elderly people with mental disabilities as well as all other elderly people are treated with the respect they deserve. Just because they have developed mental disabilities does not mean they deserve to be maltreated or as treated as little children.

Alexis B.

Mental Health and Immigrants as well as Refugees

            Throughout many years “Canada continues to be a prominent immigrant and refugee-receiving country in worldwide migration, resettlement, and search for refugee_{”. (Stewart, Anderson, Beiser, Mwakarimba, Neufeld, Simich, & Spitzer, 2008)} Both refugees and immigrants are leaving or in some cases fleeing their home counties. Which ever the case may be, both immigrants and refugees go through so many emotions. This can lead to many mental health issues. For example a refugee feeling their home may be stressed and/or anxious. An immigrant leaving their home may feel stressed and/or worried about what their new lives will be like. If anyone has ever moved houses in their life time then they know how stressful it can be, making sure you don’t forget anything, the stress of being sure you are out of the house by your deadline, setting up your new house, adjusting to your new environment and making new friends. It is hard enough to move houses within your area, never mind moving to a different country where you don’t know anyone and you don’t know all the norms of a culture, it can be very scary and intimidating.

            “In many cases, newcomers’ efforts to seek help are thwarted by systematic obstacles. Newcomers experienced extensive unmet support needs, which service providers cannot adequately meet due to bureaucratic and resource constraints. Policies in various sectors that affect the lives on immigrants and refugees are inadequate for bridging their support deficiencies.” _{(Stewart, Anderson, Beiser, Mwakarimba, Neufeld, Simich, & Spitzer, 2008)} Basically this means that it is very difficult for both immigrants and refugees to settle in easily to their new homes. _{(Stewart, Anderson, Beiser, Mwakarimba, Neufeld, Simich, & Spitzer, 2008)} Without the proper resources immigrants and refugees need to make a healthy and successful transition into Canada it will be very difficult for them to improve their lives.

            “The U.S. and Canada are countries that have been shaped and defined by immigration. In recent decades, however, changes in the immigration policies of both countries have resulted in more heterogeneous immigrant flows than ever before.” _{(Teixeira, & Wei, 2009)} I believe this is a really good thing because it shows that Canada is trying not to discriminate based on gender or culture. One thing that I was not happy to hear about is how it is very difficult to get an immigrant into Canada if they have a known disability. I don’t agree with this because even though Canada is being very diverse, they are still discriminating against people who did not make the decision to have a disability. Everyone deserves a chance to have a wonderful life and be viewed upon as an equal.

            Immigrants and refugees go through many processes and may wait years until they are accepted into Canada. While they are trying to improve their lives their mental health may decrease because of the worry, stress, possible depression, and anxiety they go through while enduring their move, and Canada needs to do everything in their power to provide the resources needed to help immigrants and refugees live a long, healthy, and successful life.

References:

- Stewart, Miriam, Anderson, Joan, Beiser, Morton,

Mwakarimba, Edward, Neufeld, Anne,

Simich, Laura, & Spitzer, Denise. (2008).

Multicultural meanings of social among

immigrants and refugees. 46(3).

- Teixeira, Carlos, & Wei, Li. (2009). Immigrant and

refugee experiences in north american cities. 7(3),

221-227.

- Brettany G.

Mental Health and Physical Disabilities

            When a person has to deal not only with mental health issues but physical disabilities as well, life is a lot harder. War Veterans are a very good example of people who sometimes have to deal with both of these hardships at the same time. War Veterans go to fight for our Country or to keep the peace, however while they are doing their duties they see many heartbreaking scenes. For example they may witness starving children and families, they may see people getting beaten up for different reasons, or they may even witness one of their own die. All of these situations affect the mental health of War Veterans. The War Veterans may feel responsible for not being able to save one of his/her own and they may feel depressed after witnessing so many terrible things.

“Soldiers often relay that the most stressful event of a peace keeping mission was not the inability to defend their personal safety; rather it was witnessing many extreme atrocities they were helpless to prevent, such as death of civilians, including children.” _{(P. 511 Richardson, Naifeh, & Elhai, 2007)} Soldiers are meant to help people and carry a lot of weight on their shoulders. They know that people are counting on them, and when they cannot save civilians they feel like they are letting everyone down, including themselves. To be a soldier is very stressful, which is why their mental health is not very stable when soldiers are serving their country. “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression often occur together.” “When PTSD and depression occur together, it may reflect a shared vulnerability or independent sequelae to trauma exposure.” _{(P. 511 Richardson, Naifeh, & Elhai, 2007)}

In addition to the mental health issues War Veterans face on a daily basis, they may also have physical disabilities due to the time they served their Country. Some Veterans return home to their families with no physical injuries or disabilities; however others are not so lucky. For example many veterans lose limbs, whether it is a leg or an arm it is still a major adjustment for the veteran. Some fight an on going battle to live a normal life, but have a hard time because they may not be able to do the same things they could before. By having physical disabilities Veterans will have more mental health issues if they have not accepted what had happened and cannot find a way to move forward with their lives. They could become depressed because they do not feel like they have much to live for, or worse.

War Veterans do a lot for our Country, they struggle because of what they have seen, and have to endure the physical disabilities that they may have to live with. Veterans put their lives on the line everyday knowing that they may not come out alive, and if they do make it then they will have to be able to face themselves and the health problems (mental and/or physical) that come with it.

Resources:

Richardson, D. J, Naifeh, J. A, & Elhai, J. D. (2007).

  Posttraumatic stress disorder and associated risk

  factors in canadian peacekeeping veterans with

  health-related disabilities. 52(8), 510-518.

- Brettany G.

Individualized Health Care Services

Not only are some members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) community stigmatized for not being heterosexual, some may also be stigmatized for having a mental disability such as depression. These mental health issues may be left untreated because they feel uncomfortable with the health care services available. 

The service needs for lesbians and gay men are different from mainstream needs. These different needs arise because of the impacts of stigma, exclusion and invisibility which results in internal and external experiences of oppression. (Duncan, Halton, Hampson, Krieger, & MacDonnell, 2000) The role of oppression is to create a feeling of unworthiness and not accept anyone who is not “normal.”  Societies idea of normalcy is completely absurd because everyone is different in some way.  Being that everyone is their own person, should have an impact on the way social services are carried out.  There should be different protocols when it comes to dealing with different types of people because our needs will not be met otherwise. 

If an immigrant woman makes an appointment to meet with a doctor to discuss the issue of depression she will be need a different type of help compared to a member of the LGBTQ community.  Although, the issue of depression can be similarly caused in both for much the same reasons there are still many differences held by these two individuals.  They may both feel unwelcome in the eyes of the public because of this idea of normalcy.  However, even though both these individuals issues of depression can be caused for relatively shared experiences (i.e. feeling out of place) the plan of action to treat their depression will and should be very different.

It is important for society to realize that each and every one of its members will be different and may even belong to different groups within society.  All public services should be mindful of these differences.  As with every social issue however, it is up to the members of society to make the changes needed.  Like other types of prejudice, sexual prejudice is an attitude; it is directed at a social group and its members; and it involves hostility or dislike.  (Ahmed, & Hammarstedt, 2007) Let’s hope people continue to educate themselves and positively change their attitudes so that all members of society can feel welcome, safe in their environments and obtain the adequate individualized care they deserve.

Alexis B.

References 

Ahmed, A., & Hammarstedt, M. (2007). Detecting discrimination against homosexuals: evidence from a field experiment on the internet. Economica, 76(303), 588-597.   

Duncan, K., Halton, J., Hampson, E., Krieger, C., & MacDonnell, J. Ontario Public Health Association, (2000). Improving the access to and quality of public health services for lesbians and gay men (2000-01 (PP) / 2000-02 (RES)). Retrieved from http://www.opha.on.ca/our_voice/ppres/papers/exec2000-01_pp.pdf

Poverty and Mental Health

Unfortunately due to poverty people end up on the streets or striving to hang onto a beat down home. There are many reasons for people to become poor. For example in class we watched a film titled No Place Called Home, and in this film the family was born into poverty. The children were very well behaved and tried their best to help out; however they were also bullied at school because of the way they lived. This family went through many hardships and at one point had to live in a tent because they had gotten evicted from their home and couldn’t find another place to live. _{(National Film)} The parents had to do their best to support these children and it was very stressful on each of them, which affects both of their mental health. Having to live with the worry everyday of not being able to know what the next day will bring is very difficult to live with. _{(National Film)}

Mental issues not only arise in parents/adults but also in children. A longitudinal study proved that “The more frequently the child was exposed to poverty, the greater was the risk of that individual being anxious and depressed at both the 14- and 21- year follow-ups.”_{(American journal)}  In addition the study also shows that “repeated experiences of poverty over a child’s early life course are associated with increased levels of poor mental health”. _{(American journal)} Children don’t have the choice to be kids; they have limited options. The kids will not be able to participate in extra activities that interest them because extra activities cost money, which they do not have. _{(National Film)} Kids see their parent’s constant worry daily and that leads them to worry themselves. The kids may never grow up in a place they can call a ‘home’. Sadly they may be moved around quite frequently.

“Poverty experienced in early childhood has been found to affect cognitive and other health and developmental outcome.”_{(American journal)} “There may be critical periods during gestation, childhood, or adolescence when exposures to poverty may have major and irreversible consequences.”_{(American journal)}  It is a scary thought knowing that so many children that are being brought up in these environments will not only have a very difficult childhood, but it will also continue throughout their lives, possibly until they die. Social Welfare is a big help when it comes to individuals in poverty, however it is not family friendly so many families believe it is easier to try and earn a living without the help of Social Welfare.

Nobody chooses to live this life, and it is not fair for innocent children to have to be raised in such conditions and have mental issues due to the fact that their parents cannot provide for them. Social Welfare needs to find a way to help not only the individual, but the poor who are family orientated, in some ways families in poverty have a harder time due to the fact that they not only need to provide for themselves but others as well. The parents have to think not only about themselves but also about their children.

Resources:

 -Najman, J., Mohammed, R., Hayatbakhsh, Clavarino, A., Bor, W., O'Callaghan, M., Williams, G. (2010). American journal of public health. 100(9), Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/ehost/detail?vid=16&hid=12&sid=e149ba7c-fd37-4c23-aef1-9d7bd1f7dc55%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=53739892

 - National Film Board of Canada (Producer). 

(   2004). No Place Called Home [DVD].

    Montreal: DVD-R

  - Brettany G.

Aboriginal Mental Health and Residential Schools

Residential schools are part of Canadian history and are now in our past. However, survivors and their family members are still being haunted by memories to this day. Aboriginal people of Canada face many issues connected to their past in regards to their mental health. Some examples of mental health issues that can affect Aboriginal people today are ones such as post traumatic stress disorder and depression. These mental health issues can also cause people to commit suicide or other harmful acts to themselves.

Society may not understand and can be confused as to why the affects to residential schools would effect Aboriginal youth today. According to Barlow(2009), “Studies suggest that the effects have transcended generations and have produced negative consequences by hindering the development of Aboriginal people in Canada and, in some instances, having a regressive effect on the conditions of various aspects of health.”(p.8)

Aboriginal mental health is one aspect that has been affected. Many school survivors must face symptoms of post traumatic stress and depression but so do their families. This is because when the survivor entered the school they lost their culture and in some cases their families. This loss has then been passed on to their families and is continued through future generations. 

This loss of culture is extremely upsetting not only for the people directly effected but also for Canada as a nation. The government chose to assimilate Aboriginal people then they came to their senses and put an end to it. However, they did not take in to consideration the trauma inflicted on the survivors.

Services need to be put into place for residential school survivors and their families so that they can deal with their trauma and move past it. They need support from not only their community but all of Canadian society. Thirty percent of First Nations people have felt sad, blue or depressed. (Health Canada, 2007) Families need to be worked with so that the depression does not turn in to harming themselves. Aboriginal people are overrepresented in suicidal rates.  The suicide rate for First Nation males is 126 per 100,000 compared to 24 per 100,000 for non-Aboriginal males. (Health Canada, 2007) This statistic is extremely high as well as extremely preventable.

Aboriginal mental health can be attributed to many factors one being residential schools. However, just as Canada introduced the schools and demolished them, Canada can introduce a system to help Aboriginal people overcome obstacles they face in regards to residential schools. The key to providing this system is public education. Survivors need strong vocal advocates who are committed to re-empowering Aboriginal people. (Reclaiming connections: understanding, 2005)

-Alexis B.

Barlow, K. (2009). Residential schools, prisons, and hiv/aids among aboriginal peoples of canada. Canada: Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

Reclaiming connections: understanding residential school trauma among aboriginal people. (2005). Canada: Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

Health Canada. (2007, July 19). Mental health and wellness. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/promotion/mental/index-eng.php