Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Words of Encouragement


Education and support being the key here, there was a time, when this was my only way to express myself and my love. When it was cold outside, and I felt the same and alone, I found solace in providing warmth in a different way. When I broke free from what kept me away, that same fire grew bright again in my chest. For those of you who need some inspiration, know this ! That same fire burns inside each and every one of you. Even if its a flicker right now, you will again find a way to make that fire burn bright. You just have to believe in who you really are. You are strong, you are not weak or naive. YOU ARE ALL WINNERS ! Now go out and show the world, you're back !!! : )) 

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Article from The Mighty - an online Newsletter

 


 The Mighty

 The Symptom of Depression We Don’t Talk About By Jenna Bagnini


You may think you know a lot about depression.
You know people with depression can feel sad and empty much of the time, have changes in appetite or sleeping habits, be fatigued, have decreased feelings of pleasure in things that would normally bring them joy and possibly even have thoughts of death and dying. But the one symptom of depression you probably don’t know about, and one of the hardest ones to deal with, is loneliness.

People thrive on connection. Even most introverts need to be social with small groups or one-on-one. But when I feel depressed, I can’t motivate myself to make or keep plans, to leave the house, or sometimes even to get showered and dressed. But this doesn’t mean I don’t want company. In contrast, I want company so badly it’s
actually painful. But I’m afraid to ask. I know I’m a bother to people, and I
know I’m not any fun to spend time with because I’m always sad and have a hard
time enjoying the things I used to love.

I feel guilty for wanting that company, for needing to have somebody around.

When I get severely depressed, I long for somebody to talk to, somebody who will
understand and not judge me. But I can’t seem to open my mouth and ask for the
help I need. I get trapped in my own brain, and I can hear myself screaming, but, unfortunately, nobody can read my mind. The more depressed I get, the more I isolate from the outside world, and the less motivation I have to reach out to people. But this is really the time I most need someone to see me, truly see what is going on, and reach out to me.

It’s sad the symptoms of depression can drive so many friends away, because of the stigma of depression, or because they don’t understand, or are scared, or don’t know how to help, or are busy and can’t be bothered. Because sometimes the best way to reach a depressed friend or loved one is to simply spend time with him or her, doing whatever he or she feels up to doing. Even if that’s just an evening on the couch with Netflix, or bringing over coffee or dinner, just showing that you care for your friend can help him or her start to feel better. Even if your friend doesn’t seem to hear your words of reassurance and comfort, there still can be a benefit to your presence. It always helps to know that somebody else cares, to hear love expressed in a genuine way.

Love expressed by other people can help me so much when I’m depressed. It reminds me I’m worthy of such love, and can push me a little bit closer to working on the self-love that will pull me out of the depression. So if you do have a friend or loved one who is depressed, please remember, it is so important to spend time with him or her. Depression is a disease of loneliness, and connection with other people makes all the difference in recovery.

Saturday, 25 June 2016

Thank you to Doug's Bicycle - Belleville ON

I would like to thank Derek of Doug's Bicycle Belleville, for fitting and setting me up with bike for CMHA "Ride Don't Hide" event taking place across Canada on June 26th.



This 3rd year event has created a movement towards change on how mental illness is viewed, promotes a healthy environment, while raising much needed funds for resources and programs for those who struggle alone. Team Fear Nothing has become apart of this movement, and hopefully next year we can do the same in our own backyard along with Sandie Collyer Sidsworth, and our CMHA. Good luck and tbank you to all who have supported Fear Nothing and this great cause. At last count, Team Fear Nothing has had $1111.11 in donations for our team. : ))
‪#‎NOBODYSTRUGGLESALONE‬
‪#‎RIDEDONTHIDE‬
‪#‎CMHA‬
‪#‎FEARNOTHING‬

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Why are we doing Ride Don't Hide 2016?

Ride Don’t Hide cycling fundraiser invites Peel residents to support mental health agency

Brampton Guardian
In 2011, Brampton’s Karen Clouter was morbidly obese and weighed some 555 lbs. She experienced depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. A gastric bypass surgery in 2012 and adopting a healthy lifestyle resulted in the Brampton woman losing more than 278 lbs. 
Today, Clouter, a visual artist/ author/singer, is a mental health advocate supporting the Centre for Mental Health Association (CMHA) Peel.
“In the time when I was obese, I really struggled,” she shared. “Now, I am healthier and I have a life. Before, I hid my depression in my body. I find many people struggle with mental health and may not be aware, CMHA Peel is such a fantastic organization that opens its arms and hearts to everyone. Their programs are so vital to the community.”
On Sunday, June 26, Clouter will join former NHL veteran Shawn Antoski and 300 other cyclists from Peel and beyond in Caledon as part of CMHA’s annual Ride Don’t Hide. The event takes place at the Lloyd Wilson Centennial Arena, 5551 McLaughlin Rd., Inglewood at 7 p.m.  
Cyclists will tackle four picturesque routes in Caledon as part of the 100-kilometre ride. There are shorter routes of 50, 25, 20 and 5K and mini-rides for families.
Antoski, who played pro-hockey for eight years before a horrific car crash ended his career, will speak to the cyclists about experiencing – and surviving – depression.
“I battled depression that was brought on by different factors, one of which was my pro-hockey career,” said Antoski. “It finally caught up with me. I lived with physical pain daily. I had this ‘Superman’ label where people began saying there was nothing that could keep me down and that I could overcome anything. The things that I endured were things that caught up post-career.”
His mental health problems escalated when some people accused him of faking his injuries to seek attention. He shut down and completely withdrew.
Antoski founded Fear Nothing, a foundation to help not just individuals experiencing mental illness, but to include people that are part of their support system.
“I want to tell people that are around those struggling with mental health that you can’t just stand there and watch, you’ve talk about these things,” he said. “It affects everybody. Fear Nothing was created so as to have an understanding from every perspective. I want to tell people there’s hope and not to give up…”
"We have a long way to go before people experiencing a mental illness are as accepted in society as those with a physical illness," said CMHA Peel CEO David Smith.
“We’re seeing a difference in attitudes as more people join the Ride Don’t Hide movement to end stigma in their community each year,” he said. “Ride Don’t Hide is a great opportunity for the community to come together and say mental health is important to me, and it’s ok to talk about it.”
CMHA Peel’s goal is to raise $70,000 for local mental health programs initiatives. For more information visit here or call 905-451 2123.

Welcome to our Blog

Hi Everyone!
This is just a short note to say welcome to our blog.  We plan to have lots of information and interesting subjects and even guest writers.  Be sure to come back soon.
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