Depression Is a Liar

 By Harvey Max Chochinov In February, just a few months after being elected to the United States Senate, Pennsylvania politician John Fetterman entered into a treatment program for depression. In an interview with CBS News show Sunday Morning last month, he recounted suffering a stroke in May, 2022, then fighting

Seven Great Habits That Will Help Boost Your Mood

 Low mood is a serious subject. When left unchecked, low mood impacts everything up to and including general quality of life. So, if you are feeling down or anxious, it’s time to do something about it. While the motivation might not always be there, that shouldn’t stand in the way

Avoiding videogame addiction in children

 QUESTION Dear Adele Our two children, ages nine and 12 seem to spend a lot of their free time playing video games or on apps on their smart phones. We are beginning to wonder if they might be getting addicted. We also are unsure what is a reasonable amount of

4 factors that lead to employee burnout and how to avoid them

 Employee burnout, job burnout, or simply burnout are terms that get thrown around often, and we've all heard them. Chances are, we've also experienced the symptoms. You feel tired all the time, irritated, unfulfilled, and unappreciated. After a while, it starts to resemble depression. All you want to do is

Dealing with stigma and mental health

 QUESTION: Dear Adele, My teenaged son lives with anxiety and depression. Last year his physician thought he needed some time away from school. Upon his return, my son felt that many of his fellow students were avoiding him and/or judging him. Are attitudes of shame and blame common? How can

6 Surprising ways that gut issues may affect your health

 Do you suffer from digestive issues? Do you also experience non-digestive symptoms such as depression, weight gain, insomnia, acne or PMS? Did you know that the gut can have a hugely far-reaching impact on your health? Your gut can affect everything from energy, skin and even your mood. To illustrate

Can you overdose on CBD?

 With the rising popularity of CBD in the health and wellness industry also comes various concerns of the public. One of these concerns is about CBD dosage. Since CBD is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) right now, there is a lot of debate about the volume

Does CBD oil make you feel sleepy?

 CBD oil's potential to improve health and better equip people to handle medical conditions is widely getting acknowledged. Several pieces of research affirm the medicinal properties of this cannabis extract. It has emerged as an herbal alternative to treat seizures, arthritis, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and many other ailments. Look at

Pretty damn crazy!

 “Hey mom, I just can’t do it anymore! . . . It’s over! . . . He’s out and I’m a mess!” “Can I crash with you while I sort myself out?” That desperate call came to my friend Leah, about one year ago. “Another one bites the dust!” she

Tara Shannon Wants to Break the Barrier Between Listening and Experiencing

 Images used courtesy of Tara Shannon. Recording session images by Ali Matthews. Have you ever experienced Inuit throat singing? I don’t mean that you have heard it somewhere or saw it performed on the stage or in film, but that you have actually experienced it? My first experience took place

Personalized Medicine for Child Health is a Distraction

 Genetics will save the day – at least that’s the message you see pretty much everywhere in the media, and sometimes even in the academic literature.  Newspaper articles herald “breakthroughs” in finding genetic biomarkers for autism. Magazine headlines trumpet finding a biomarker for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We read in

Assisted Suicide for Those With Mental Illness is a Risky Proposition

 Who but those who have experienced it can appreciate the soul crushing anguish of mental illness? Afflictions of the mind can be paralyzing and fundamentally change the way we perceive ourselves (I am worthless), anticipate the future (my prospects are hopeless), and experience the world (life is unfair and unforgiving).

Five Things You Might Not Know About Food Insecurity in Canada.

 For many Canadians, food plays a central role in the holiday festivities. But for those experiencing food insecurity, a bountiful feast will not be in the cards this year. Over 4 million Canadians, including 1.15 million children experience some level of food insecurity. Food insecurity, also known as ‘food poverty,’

Many Patients with Chronic Health Conditions Also Have Mental Health Issues that Go Undiagnosed and Untreated

 We need to better integrate physical and mental health services Our health system often divides mental health from physical health into distinct silos of care and treatment, yet no such mind-body duality exists in actual patients.  Many individuals with chronic health conditions simultaneously experience mental health issues -- and the

Acupuncture to Enhance Anti-depressant Medication: Feel Better Faster

 Depression and chronic low mood are very prevalent conditions affecting Canadians. Those diagnosed with mild to moderate forms of depression can have success with natural interventions if they are started early with good adherence to treatment. But not all cases are the same, and those diagnosed with more serious and chronic

Why is Everyone so Happy, and I’m Not?

 If you are reading this, there is a good chance you, or someone you know isn't very happy. There are plenty of things you want to do with your life but the unhappiness, low motivation and lack of energy is too difficult to overcome. Not to mention the amount of

Bring on the Needles for Stress Management

 When it comes to finding the balance between work, home, family and personal obligations, feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious is unfortunately common. So much to do, so little time! While some stress is a normal part of a life, in excess it can impair productivity and, more importantly, affect our

Why Has My Brain Stopped Working?

 Gillian, 42, a mother of two children, 4 and 6, worked as an accountant. She had a loving husband and a successful career she had worked very hard to create for herself. Gillian always had an incredible memory and could always count on her brain. However, over the past few

How Canada Fails People with Mental Illnesses

 Canada Needs Improved Access to Mental Healthcare Services In any developed country, politicians and clinicians are struggling to improve quality of care while reducing costs of healthcare systems. To remedy this, groups of doctors across North America--including here in Canada--have banded together to create lists of medical procedures or tests

The signs and symptoms of burnout and what you can do about it

 By Jilla Kahrobaei, BSc ND It happens. And it happens to almost everyone exposed to stress. You wake up one morning and find yourself utterly exhausted. You feel like you have been hit by a truck and every movement is accompanied by stiffness, heaviness and pain. You have no interest

Heartburn: is medication your right option?

 Paul is a policy analyst working for the Government of Canada in Ottawa. With recent cut backs in his department his work load has been significantly higher over the last two years. About six months ago he began to notice what he described as heartburn. At first it was mild

Why Do I Feel So Achy, Cold and Tired?

 Photos courtesy of Dollar Photo Club Lets talk about Laura, aged 30. It’s 7 a.m. on a January morning in Orleans and Laura leaves her house, jumps into her car and starts her 45-minute drive to work into Ottawa. The mornings are really cold this time of year and although she’s

My New Years Resolution – Sleep!

 With the dawn of a new year, most of us have thoughts of making positive changes in our lives. But few think of getting more sleep. Sleep is one of the four pillars of optimal health, and more and more research is highlighting its importance as part of a healthy

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Elizabeth Manley

 In honour of the recent Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 2014 Induction Celebrations presented by Canadian Tire on October 22, OLM will be featuring inductees—recent and historic—in a weekly Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and achievements of Honoured

Why the Mental Health of Girls Needs National Attention

 Canadian girls internalize emotional stress and report high rates of depression, psychological distress, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. The recent Maclean’s cover story, entitled Revenge of the Teenage Girl, was too tempting not to read. No doubt they were publishing this in honour of the third International Day of the