Connect with us

Health

Keep The Conversation Going – Let’s Talk Mental Health

Published

3 minute read

By Sheldon Spackman

Today is “Bell – Lets Talk” day and Central Albertans are joining millions of Canadians across the country in keeping the conversation going about the importance of mental health and ending the stigmas sometimes associated with mental illness.

Officials with the Canadian Mental Health Association say mental illness is increasingly recognized as a serious and growing problem. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Canadians will develop a mental illness at some time in their lives. Many more individuals such as family, friends and colleagues are also affected.

They add that mental health means striking a balance in all aspects of one’s life: social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental. At times, the balance may be tipped too much in one direction and one’s footing has to found again. Mental health is as important as physical health. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

CMHA officials offer these facts on Mental Health:

  • Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational and income levels, and cultures.
  • Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
  • Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
  • A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
  • Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
  • The economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998 – $4.7 billion in care, and $3.2 billion in disability and early death.
  • An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for depression and distress that was not treated by the health care system.
  • The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
  • Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
  • Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.
  • In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.

Follow Author

Health

RFK Jr. Shuts Down Measles Scare in His First Network Interview as HHS Secretary

Published on

 The Vigilant Fox

CBS’s Jon LaPook tried to hype the measles panic, but Kennedy calmly dismantled the narrative and set the record straight.

The following is a streamlined and editorialized version of a thread that originally appeared on the American Values X page. It was edited and republished with permission. Click here to read the original thread.

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. recently set the record straight in an interview with CBS News’ chief medical correspondent, Dr. Jon LaPook. He pushed back on the claim that a second child had died from measles, exposing the narrative as not just misleading, but flat-out false.

But before that happened, Kennedy addressed the current measles outbreak and ongoing concerns about vaccine safety. He revealed that new safety trials are finally in motion.

“We don’t know the risks of many of these products,” he said. “They’re not adequately safety-tested.” He explained that “many of the vaccines are tested for only 3-4 days with NO placebo group.”

Kennedy made it clear this isn’t about banning vaccines—it’s about transparency. “I’ve always said … I’m not gonna take people’s vaccines away from them,” he said. “I’m gonna make sure that we have good science so that people can make an informed choice.” He added, “We are doing that science today.”

Kennedy was asked about Daisy Hildebrand, the young girl in Texas whose funeral he attended. Her death had been cited in headlines as proof of a growing measles crisis.

“It was very nice to be able to meet the parents in person and spend the whole day with them and share their lives with them and get to know their community,” he said. “The community was very welcoming and loving towards me.”

Kennedy described the experience warmly: “The Mennonite community was beautiful to me.” He added, “I went to a large lunch with the whole community and you had boys and girls sitting together and nobody was on a cell phone.”

That’s when Kennedy dropped the real bombshell: the child didn’t die from measles.

“The child whose funeral I attended this week was hospitalized three times from other illnesses,” he said. “She got measles and she got over the measles, according to her parents.” He added, “I saw the medical report on it today and the thing that killed her was not the measles, but it was a bacteriological infection.”

And it wasn’t the first time the media misled the public. Last month, another child’s death was falsely blamed on measles. But the truth is that it was a case of catastrophic medical error.

“Her death is the result of an egregious medical error,” CHD’s Mary Holland told Steve Bannon. “This girl wound up in the hospital because she did have some difficulty breathing, and instead of giving her breathing care, you’ll understand from the specialists with me that she got inaccurate, wrong-headed medical care, and that’s why she died.”

She added, “She did not die from measles. She died from a medical error, the third leading cause of death in this country.”

Share


Thanks for reading. If you value the work being published here, upgrading your subscription is the most powerful way to support it. The more this Substack earns, the more we can expand the team, improve quality, and create the best reader experience possible.

For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.

Continue Reading

Health

Red Deer Hospital Lottery – Previous Supporter Draw Deadline!

Published on

Today is your last chance to qualify to win in our Previous Supporter Draws! Don’t miss your exclusive opportunity to win one of five $1,000 cash prizes. Purchase your tickets before 11:59pm tonight to be eligible for these draws, and over $1.24 million in prizes.

BUY NOW!

TICKETS START AT JUST $20!

$20 EACH | 8 FOR $100 | 15 FOR $150 | 30 FOR $250

BUY NOW!

We also have even more chances for you to win big this year if you buy your tickets now! Including a chance to win $100,000 CASH, plus there’s an Early Bird Draw for $20,000, and a Second Chance Early Bird for $10,000!


Over $1.24 Million in prizes to be won! Get your tickets now for more chances to win!

CHECK OUT OUR GREAT TICKET PACKAGES

1 for $20 • 8 for $100 15 for $150  30 for $250

BUY NOW!

MEGA BUCKS 50
Win half of an increasing jackpot of up to $1,000,000

DON’T FORGET!

$10 EACH | 10 FOR $25
25 FOR $50 | 50 FOR $75

GET YOUR TICKETS!

Thank you so much for your support, and best of luck in the draws.
CALL RED DEER & AREA OR TOLL FREE
403.340.1878      1.877.808.9005

Red Deer Hospital Lottery
Red Deer Hospital Lottery
PO Box 1098
Red Deer AB T4N 6S5

Lottery Licence #724321 | Mega Bucks 50 Licence #724322

© RED DEER HOSPITAL LOTTERY 2025
Continue Reading

Trending

X