POVERTY AND MENTAL HEALTH
The link between poverty and mental health is complex and it can be tough to tackle one without addressing the other. Individuals with mental illness often live in poverty and conversely those who live in poverty are more susceptible to developing mental health issues. As we have written many times before, mental illness is something that will impact most people at some point. One in five Canadians will be impacted by mental health in their lifetimes.
Those who are from a lower socio-economic background are more likely to be exposed to psychological trauma in their early years and experience high levels of stress that come along with unstable living conditions. There is also a lack of resources to address their mental health concerns, which in turn can lead to them sinking further and further into poverty. Without the proper supports in place they are unable to access educational and employment opportunities, leaving them entrenched in their situation. It is important to make these support accessible to the individuals who need them and unfortunately finances can be a significant barrier.
A recent case in the news highlights the impacts that poverty can have those struggling with mental illness. Earlier this month a 17-year old Florida high school football star died by suicide. His name was Bryce Gowdy and he was set to enroll at Georgia Tech on an athletic scholarship. To anyone else looking at his life, it would seem that things were starting to look positive for this young man. Unfortunately his family had been struggling with their finances and were homeless. His mother had shared that Bryce had been struggling for some time before his death however due to the lack of resources she was unable to get him support. The tragic loss of this young man’s life illustrates the importance of ensuring that mental health
services remain accessible to everyone, regardless of their finances and housing situation.
Ontario is making progress in increasing accessibility to mental health resources. While the public health system is definitely strained and the wait-list for many of the mental health programs can be months, and sometimes even years long, there does seem to be a call to expand the mental health sector in order to ensure that individuals are able to access the resources they need.
There are also several provincial initiatives and support programs that are put in place to help alleviate the stain on the public health system. “Big White Wall” is an online mental health and well-being website that connected individuals to other who are experiencing similar issues. It provided them with a space to share their story and also access support from licensed therapists and counsellors. The site is anonymous, which allows individual to explore the site without having to worry about being judged. Bounce Back is a program run by CMHA. It is a free skills building program for individuals 15 years and older with low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety worry or stress.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has a 24/7 Psychiatric Emergency Department at their 250 College Street Location. While there may be a wait for services, it may be a way to get access to immediate support during critical stressful periods. If you are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or a loved one, you are always able to visit the emergency room of your nearest hospital.
There are also many free support services available over the phone. Distress centers and help-lines are great resources to access and to find out more information about local services. CAMH has an extensive list of crisis services available in Ontario, which you can check out here:
https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/crisis-resources
If you are looking to access private mental health care and are worried about being able to afford it please check out the following websites:
https://www.affordabletherapytoronto.com/therapists.html
https://openpathcollective.org/find-a-clinician/?address=&distance=50&n=&active=false&remote=&age=ðnic=&language=&modality=&specialties=&treatment=&pagination=0
https://www.betterhelp.com/
Both Natasha and Denise offer a sliding scale for counselling.
