Mental Illness Foundation invites Quebecers to be attentive to loved ones

As part of the 60^th National Mental Health Week, which runs from May 1 to 7, 2011, the Mental Illness Foundation invites Quebecers to take action and be attentive to loved ones coping with a mental illness and underlines that the search for good mental health is one of the protective factors in preventing mental illness. The Foundation also takes this opportunity to express its support towards the Canadian Mental Health Association, which organizes the Week, and towards its Quebec campaign "Merci de me faire confiance, ça me donne des ailes!"

This week, the Foundation wishes to inform the public, in particular youth, adults and seniors, on ways to maintain and improve their mental health as well as to increase the sense of trust and solidarity amongst people coping with a mental illness.

How to Break the Isolation?

• Find the right moment and location to talk to someone.
• Choose the right person and tell them about behaviours or changes that concern you, for example if you often cry, if you're isolating yourself, if your alcohol consumption has increased, etc.
• Seek help from a health professional (doctor, nurse, psychologist, etc.) if:
• You don't recognize yourself anymore or if others don't recognize you anymore;
• You can't find motivation to live;
• You cry at nothing;
• You have lost all interest in activities you used to love;
• You are not able to function normally;
• Your concerns are persistent, intense and won't disappear with time;
• You can't sleep well anymore;
• You feel an extreme fatigue;
• You're isolating yourself more and more.
• Do you need help in finding the right resource? Thanks to its referral service, the Mental Illness Foundation can recommend resources to provide help and support anywhere in Quebec:
• Website: http://www.fondationdesmaladiesmentales.org/en/
• Phone: 1-888-529-5354 extension 222
• Email: [email protected]
• Aside from the Mental Illness Foundation, you can reach your local CLSC or the Ordre des psychologues du Québec.
  Website: www.ordrepsy.qc.ca
  Phone: 514-738-1881

What to do in an emergency

• In a crisis when the individual cannot wait more than a few minutes: dial 911. With the help of regional centres for suicide prevention (centres de prévention du suicide) under the Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS), the situation will be analysed on the spot and help will be dispatched.
• In case of a suicide emergency, the following resources are available:

• Call the free suicide prevention hotline at 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
• Dial 811 to obtain the phone numbers for various crises centres;
• Attend CLSCs, which offer psychosocial services; 
• Crisis referral centres, which can even offer accommodation.
• For a person in distress but who can wait 48-72 hours: the family can request an order for a psychiatric evaluation with the help of a CLSC. The person in question will consequently receive an evaluation from a psychiatrist.