MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

As we grow older, our bodies are guaranteed to age in a relatively predictable way. The state of our mind is the most rapidly fluctuating and the least under our immediate control, insomuch that reptilian emotions are constantly influencing the frontal cortex, that is, the part of the brain that separates humans from other animals.

Mental health is often the point of discussion during patient encounters, and rightfully so, it is one-third of the holistic health triad. Campaigns like Bell’s “Let’s Talk” and a growing interest in the topic on other forms of media, exemplifies how mental health has been destigmatized and even embraced as a primary initiative within our culture. The hope is that with time, the overall message will manifest itself as proactive engagement and management of mental health issues by patients and healthcare workers.

From my experience, compared to prior generations, patients are more transparent about their mental health struggles and take more initiative to seek professional help. By the same token, physicians and other healthcare providers are delegating more time in their education and practice to better embrace, understand, assess and manage the mental health of their clients. This positive momentum is undoubtedly pivotal for the ongoing health of our society as a whole.

To further our common goal for widespread mental health, I find it useful to take a moment to focus on the most basic of questions. That is, what is the tangible approach we should take to managing mental health issues? Surely, if you asked a hundred people to provide their take, you would have a very large unpredictability in their answers.

My approach has always been to simplify, and to understand how we should treat mental health, one must first grasp the fundamental elements of health in general. The definition in the dictionary, which is “to be free of disease or illness,” is too simplistic for the purpose of this mental exercise. However, if we frame our definition within the lens of DR. TIMOTHY KODSI

Medical Lead Mimico Medical

prevention, the picture becomes much clearer.

In medicine, preventative medicine is categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary. Primary prevention is preventing the problem from starting in the first place. In this case, by living the lifestyle of someone who has established mental strength devoid of emotional dysregulation. That is, a life free of significant trauma, addictions, sedentation, poor habits, risky behaviours, and toxic relationships, among other things, but also with a strong element of mental awareness and prioritization of the psyche. Of course, we can only control so much, but these principles should guide our everyday decisions, interactions, and behaviours.

Secondary prevention entails the early identification and management of disease. Every patient-doctor relationship should make the discussion about overall feelings and mood a regular occurrence. Patients should feel comfortable approaching their doctors for care at the earliest stages of emotional dysregulation. Physicians and their teams should compassionately address and actively manage these cases, both promptly

and thoroughly. To that point, employers and educators must be equally accommodating when the mental health of their employees/students is cast in doubt.

Tertiary prevention specifically involves patients who have already been functionally debilitated by a disease. The harsh reality is that many people go years, or even decades, suffering with psychiatric illness and experiencing grave ramifications of their disability before seeking help. In many cases, irreparable damage has already been done to their lives. Tertiary care represents the notion that it is never too late to pick up the pieces and build a new foundation. Time and time again, I have seen clients of mine regroup, reflect, take action, and ultimately thrive with a newfound mental fortitude. The hardest part is bringing a patient and doctor together to recognize the need and understanding the importance of a targeted mental health plan. Through a determined, collaborative, and evidence-based approach, it is ever possible to restore function, improve quality of life, minimize disability and prevent or limit complications.

The guiding principles for managing mental health can be reduced to a few basic elements. Firstly, treatment begins early and often, in the form of preventative measures before challenges have even presented themselves. Secondly, successful mood regulation requires early identification by the patient and prompt engagement by the physician to improve the chance of ultimate success. Finally, as long as the patient and physician work as a team grounded in evidence-based principles, it is never too late to engage, assess, act and heal. Your body and soul will thank you.

DR. TIMOTHY KODSI

Medical Lead, Mimico Medical 398 Royal York Rd 416.201.0836 www.mimicomedical.com

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