Then the pandemic hit. Unexpectedly, the work slowed and eventually stopped. Allisa found she had time to reflect on her life and some terrible memories and emotions she had blocked began to surface.

She realized she had been keeping busy with work to numb the pain from repressed trauma, sexual abuse and violence. Allisa says her emotions began spiralling out of control. She knew she needed help but says it was incredibly difficult to find.

After a month of researching online, emailing and calling various organizations, someone recommended that she contact Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project (FNP).

Developed by families in collaboration with Sunnybrook experts, FNP is a free service that pairs youth aged 13 to 26 who have mental health and/or addictions challenges, and their families, with clinically trained navigators who connect them with the services they urgently need.

After reaching out to her FNP navigator, Allisa was connected with a therapist who specialized in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and had the experience to match her unique needs.

Following her first call with her new therapist, Allisa broke down in tears of relief because she knew that she had found someone who could finally help her. And not only did her FNP navigator find a therapist for her, but she continues to check in on Allisa on a regular basis.

Allisa says that having her navigator by her side through her journey of recovery “feels like having a guardian angel.”

FNP is funded entirely by RBC Race for the Kids and other generous donors.

This is the 10th anniversary of RBC Race for the Kids in Toronto which has raised more than $18 million for FNP. Thanks to the support of race participants and the donor community, thousands of youth and their families have found the mental health services they need.

While Allisa realizes she will need to continue to work on her mental health, she is feeling positive about her future.

“I felt incredibly lost before connecting with FNP but since that first call, I have been moving forward and living life more positively. I’m grateful to RBC Race for the Kids and to donors for supporting FNP which makes it possible for youth to find help.”

RBC Race for the Kids takes place September 17 at Mel Lastman Square and virtually. To register or donate click here.

The post Allisa finds the specialized mental health care she needs appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Before that time off, I was used to a certain structure and routine. While I was in undergrad, I was busy working as a teaching assistant and a research assistant. After graduation, I went from being extremely busy to having nothing to do each day. I tried getting a job in between but nothing really worked out.

The decline in my mental health was progressive. There wasn’t anything in particular that happened, I just felt like I was getting lower and lower. Then it got to the point where I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t move. At that point, I knew something was wrong – it wasn’t normal or just being upset – it was something different. That’s when I knew I had to do something. I was eventually diagnosed with anxiety disorder and depression after connecting with therapists and a psychiatrist.

I also reached out to the Family Navigation Project (FNP) at Sunnybrook. They provided me with information on how to get connected to a psychiatrist, along with other resources. I went to the psychiatrist who recommended medication and suggested academic accommodations including taking a lighter course load to focus on my health. I ended up staying with my previous therapist, but I think FNP is a good platform because they help provide you with resources.

Later, I joined FNP as a Youth Engagement Partner to help share my experiences and insights on how the mental health system can be improved. I also participated in my first RBC Race for the Kids which supports FNP and youth mental health. This is an important cause and means a lot to me.

This year, being one of the first members of FNP’s Youth Advisory Council means offering my voice to help FNP connect young people with the mental health services they need. FNP’s Youth Advisory Council brings together young people with different lived experiences. I think it’s helping to break down stigma because each person can shed a light or new perspective on mental health. We are from diverse backgrounds and want to improve mental health care for young people.

In my personal journey, there are different ways I manage my mental health. I find that physical exercise is very important. That could mean taking a walk or going to the gym.  I also focus on hobbies that I enjoy, such as being outside and exploring an area. Photography is another hobby that I enjoy. I also try to be more present. I feel like when I’m not as present or not as in tune with what’s going on, that can have a negative impact on my mental health.

Another thing that helps me is journaling. Sometimes there are so many thoughts going through my head but it’s hard to verbalize what I am thinking. Journaling helps make things clearer for me.

I feel there is still stigma in mental health. Just one example is that there is sometimes a perception that if you’re a man, you shouldn’t be upset or sad. But no matter who you are – we all have emotions and different things we’re dealing with. It’s important to learn different ways to cope with mental health and for anyone to reach out for counselling or support when they need it.

Learn more about the Family Navigation Project (FNP) at Sunnybrook – sunnybrook.ca/familynavigation

FNP is not a crisis response line. If you need help in an emergency, please call 911 or visit your local emergency department.

If you’re feeling like you’re in crisis or need somebody to talk to, please know that help is also available through community resources:

• Find a local crisis resource at sunnybrook.ca/gethelp
• Crisis Services Canada
  • Phone: 24-hour, toll-free 1-833-456-4566
  • Text: 45645 (4:00 p.m. – midnight Eastern Time)
• Kids Help Phone
  • Phone: 24-hour, toll-free, 1-800-668-6868
  • Text: 686868 (24 hours, 7 days a week)

The post Murad’s story: Breaking down stigma in mental health appeared first on Your Health Matters.

“It seemed like people were loving school. Everyone. All my friends were loving it, and for me, it was a tough time,” says Sam. “I felt like an outsider, I was questioning myself, and when that happens you start thinking you don’t belong.”

Sam was 18 years old at the time and says that was the year he confronted the dark feelings he would typically brush aside.

“I was feeling really low. It got pretty bad, and at that time, I had no real coping mechanisms,” Sam explains. “I wouldn’t get out of bed, I would start drinking in the morning, I would call my friends and start sobbing because I didn’t know how to cope.”

He reached out to his dad who helped him find support.

“At the time I had no idea what to do. And for the longest time I wouldn’t even say that I was depressed, but I was,” says Sam.

Sam received professional help and over time, developed positive coping skills along the way.

“I try to cope with those feelings differently. And I recognize the external factors that I can change,” he says. “Talking about things helps. It’s cathartic.”

Sam is honest about his experiences, noting that over the years, he has experienced ups and downs in his journey, but he keeps moving forward.

Pandemic experience

Now 23 years old, Sam is living through the COVID-19 pandemic, which is having an impact on mental health worldwide.

“I think a lot of young people are having a hard time,” says Sam who has connected with Sunnybrook’s Family Navigation Project (FNP) for support during the pandemic.

FNP is a free email and phone service that helps youth ages 13 to 26 years old with mental health and/or addiction concerns find the resources and help they need by matching them with expert navigators who guide young people, as well as their families, through the mental health and addictions system.

FNP does not provide crisis services, diagnosis or treatment. FNP helps young people more easily find services best suited to them as well as services that are a good match for their families. FNP provides support across the Greater Toronto Area in Durham, Halton, Peel, Toronto, and York regions.

Typically, parents and caregivers contact FNP looking to support their child or youth, but over the course of the pandemic, FNP is also seeing a new trend as more young people are directly reaching out to the program for services than ever before.

“In 2020, we had nearly twice as many youth call FNP for help,” says Liisa Kuuter, program manager for FNP, which is also part of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at Sunnybrook. “The pandemic has been especially difficult for young people who are experiencing a number of stressors during COVID. They may have missed milestones such as graduation or prom, or their first year of university has been spent online or in lockdown. This is a stage of life when young people are typically socializing, meeting new people, and being more independent, and the pandemic has made it difficult to experience this fully.”

Sam says he has struggled throughout the pandemic.

“It got bad enough that I reached out to my mom and said, ‘I’m feeling suicidal again. I’m not liking it,’” says Sam.

At one point he was dealing with a break-up, and then sprained his ankle, which, coupled with lockdown measures, led him to engage in self-destructive behaviours.

He says his first call with FNP navigator, Katie Wicik, was a huge help.

“It was the first time in awhile that I’d spoken to someone about how I was feeling, so I felt an immediate release,” Sam explains. “It made me realize, I need to see a professional again which was very helpful.”

“Navigators help youth and families find the best fit for support by first assessing their needs and then identifying options for treatment and support,” says Katie. “The goal is to create a navigation pathway and find resources that are tailored to the uniqueness of each youth and/or family’s needs and circumstances.”

Feeling supported

FNP helped Sam find an appropriate support and he says as he continues to work on his mental health, FNP has made a positive impact on his journey.

“This progress wouldn’t have happened without FNP,” says Sam.

“The essence of what being a navigator means is building and strengthening relationships with youth, families, and systems of care,” says Katie. “Above all, being a navigator means embodying hope. Holding hope for the possibility of a new way forward despite the various roadblocks that a youth or their family may be facing.”

Last summer, Sam was encouraged by the support he received at FNP, so he decided to give back and join the virtual edition of the RBC Race for the Kids, which raises funds to support FNP’s critical guidance for families and youth seeking mental health and addictions services.

Sam joined thousands of others who supported FNP by running their own “Race for the Kids” at home that year. He’s even considering running again in the 2021 edition of the RBC Race for the Kids.

“FNP really helps in removing barriers and steps,” explains Sam. “I feel as though it would have taken me longer to find support if I didn’t have FNP there.”

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If you need help in an emergency, please call 911 or visit your local emergency department.

If you’re feeling like you’re in crisis or need somebody to talk to, please know that help is also available through community resources:

• Find a local crisis resource at sunnybrook.ca/gethelp
• Crisis Services Canada
  o Phone: 24-hour, toll-free 1-833-456-4566

 » Mental health resources for coping during COVID-19 from Sunnybrook experts

The post Family Navigation Project finds more youth reaching out for support during pandemic appeared first on Your Health Matters.