The Past and Present of Mental Health Care

Reporting on issues surrounding mental health care is becoming increasingly important in the media as policymakers, politicians and activists raise questions about the quality of care and treatment available in the world. province and across the country.

At the same time, campaigns such as Bell Let's Talk – an initiative to promote mental health education, research and awareness – are trying to standardize what it means to fight mental illness

. According to the history professor and the medical historian of Saskatchewan, there is too often a discrepancy between real conversations and the general stigma of mental health

"Mental health problems often make one of the newspapers because of horrific disasters. We are focusing on fear of mental illness, and there has long been a notion that mental illness makes people unpredictable and violent, "said Dyck. "With the way we talk about these problems, we often say that we have to be tolerant and tolerant, but we are still nervous about what it means when someone has a serious mental illness and how to deal with the potential from a crisis. 19659005] A Canada Research Chair and expert in the early days of LSD testing, much of Dyck's research focuses on the evolution of the history of psychiatry and mental health in Saskatchewan, in particular since that time, Saskatchewan was the epicenter of research on psychedelic drug testing, which was used to treat addictions such as alcoholism, she said. And even if she points out that the opinions in today's society may have changed enough to consider retaining LSD as a potential therapy – particularly because of the increasingly lax laws about marijuana – There are many types of mental health problems. She continued, "The technologies have changed, the access and dependence on pharmaceuticals have changed since the introduction of Medicare, and I do not think we have any idea of ​​Medicare to allow it to evolve. Said Dyck. "Looking at it historically allows us to appreciate how much the nuance went into creation and where it stopped rather than continue this conversation."

Stigmas have also seen a drastic evolution – a subject that she explores in her book Folie: Weyburn Psychiatric Hospital and Transforming Psychiatric Care in Canada, which traces the history of Saskatchewan's settlement, moving from a large haven Victorian style with attention to community care.

Written with Alex Deighton, a former student of the University of In reviewing the past, the book aims to promote that it is the responsibility of the collective to challenge the current discrimination in mental illness.

"We looked at the different ways in which people articulated their experiences and where they found ways to dig. and challenge the system, "said Dyck. "And by giving voice to these people and organizations, we are able to put a face on some of this discrimination, so it's not just about discussing politics in an abstract way.

As to how current conversations have changed, Dyck points to the growing number of advocates who are discussing issues such as income insecurity.

"There is a lot of talk about raising the minimum wage in Saskatchewan recently, so we are talking about basic income structures, but it is not really a mental health problem, but it is not a problem. is also a mental health problem. "I am encouraged by what I see in the media," she continued, "which draws more attention to the need to link things like campaigns against poverty and mental health care. . "

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