As mental health supports are increasing across Sarnia-Lambton, disinformation about what mental health treatment and services look like remains.
"I think there's a lot of misinformation. There are a lot of myths, and what the mental health side is at the hospital, there are a lot of stereotypes," said Psychiatric Assessment Nurse at Bluewater Health, Brendan Wiley. "There are a lot of media portrayals that are not particularly positive, and that creates more stigma than there already is."
Wiley spoke at the Kiwanis Club of Sarnia-Lambton Golden K meeting on Tuesday, March 17 about options available in the community for those who need them, but noted accessing treatment can be challenging.
"There are still barriers, there is still stigma, there's still a lot of things we don't know, but we are getting better at acknowledging some of these facts, having empathy for those that are struggling, and offering evidence-based therapies to improve quality of life," said Wiley. "It can be challenging to navigate the system as it is, but it can be particularly overwhelming when you're trying to do so whilst also struggling with your mental health."
He noted that doing presentations and raising awareness about the ins and outs of treatment options opens up communication.
"I think doing presentations like these, to kind of assuage some of those fears, explain why things are the way they are, (explain) what resources are available outside. Because, generally, we try our best not to rely on hospitalization, as people do better (when out) in the community," he said.
Sarnia has several treatment centres focusing on mental health and addiction recovery, with the recently opened HART hub, and the construction of a new space for the Community Addictions Hub to expand care at Bluewater Health.
"There are lots of resources in Sarnia-Lambton, but again, when you're struggling, it's hard to know where to start," said Wiley. "We can set up appointments with a date and time through the Canadian Mental Health Association and St. Clair Child Youth right there in the merge. Mental health can be a scary topic, or it can be taboo for some. We try to dispel myths and misinformation as much as we can."
If you or someone you know is in need of mental health supports there is a 24/7 Mental Health First Response phone line for Sarnia-Lambton: 1-800-307-4319.
Other support services can be found on the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) website.
