Mental health and wellness in First Nations and Inuit communities

<!DOCTYPE html>   <html class="no-js" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8">  <title>Mental health and wellness in First Nations and Inuit communities </title> <meta content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1" name="viewport">   <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-NLBMCJ3');</script>    <meta name="dcterms.creator" content="Government of Canada; Indigenous Services Canada"> <meta name="dcterms.issued" title="W3CDTF" content="2019-12-11"> <meta name="dcterms.modified" title="W3CDTF" content="2024-11-20"> <meta name="description" content="Understand positive mental health and the factors that can influence it. 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Access programs and services to improve your mental health and help prevent suicide in Indigenous communities."> <meta name="dcterms.language" title="ISO639-2" content="eng"> <meta name="dcterms.subject" title="gcinac" content="Aboriginal people; Health; Health effects; Health promotion; Health services; Mental health; Programs"> <meta name="dcterms.title" content="Mental health and wellness in First Nations and Inuit communities"> <meta name="dcterms.type" title="gctype" content="resource list"> <meta name="dcterms.audience" title="gcaudience" content="aboriginal peoples; general public"> <meta name="gcterms.topicTaxonomy" content="Indigenous Services Canada > Indigenous health > Indigenous mental health">   <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/cdts/compiled/soyutils.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/cdts/compiled/wet-en.js"></script> <noscript>    <link href="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/assets/favicon.ico" rel="icon" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/css/theme.min.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/cdts/cdtsfixes.css">    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.canada.ca/etc/designs/canada/cdts/gcweb/rn/css/noscript.min.css"> </noscript> <script src="/DAM/PresentationDAM/STAGING/Scripts/inter-cdts.js"></script>  <script type="text/javascript"> document.write(wet.builder.refTop({ cdnEnv: "prod" })); </script>  <link href="/DAM/PresentationDAM/STAGING/css/cust-isc.css" media="screen, print" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">   <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.fontawesome.com/releases/v5.15.4/css/all.css" integrity="sha256-mUZM63G8m73Mcidfrv5E+Y61y7a12O5mW4ezU3bxqW4=" crossorigin="anonymous"/> </head> <body vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="WebPage"> <span typeof="Organization"><meta property="legalName" content="Department_of_Indian_Affairs_and_Northern_Development"></span>   <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NLBMCJ3" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>   <div id="def-top"> </div>  <script type="text/javascript"> var defTop = document.getElementById("def-top"); defTop.outerHTML = wet.builder.customTop({ cdnEnv: "prod", showPreContent: false, lngLinks: [{lang: 'fr',href: 'https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/fra/1576089278958/1576089333975',text: 'Fran莽ais'},], customSearch: [{"action":"https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada/search.html"}], breadcrumbs: [{title: "Canada.ca", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en.html"},{title: "Indigenous Services Canada", href: "/eng/1518196579110/1520997240623"},{title: "Indigenous health", href: "/eng/1569861171996/1569861324236"},{title: "Indigenous mental health", href: "/eng/1576088923626/1576088963494"}] }); </script> <main role="main" property="mainContentOfPage" class="container"> <h1 property="name" id="wb-cont">Mental health and wellness in First Nations and Inuit communities</h1> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-3 col-md-3 col-sm-12 col-xs-12 pull-right"> <figure> <img src="/DAM/DAM-ISC-SAC/DAM-HLTH/STAGING/images-images/mh-health-wellness_totem_1578496353749_eng.jpg" alt="" class="img-responsive thumbnail"> </figure> </div> <div class="col-lg-9 col-md-9 col-sm-12 col-xs-12"> <p class="lead">Understand positive mental health and the factors that can influence it. Access programs and services to improve your mental health and help prevent suicide in Indigenous communities.</p> <section> <h2>On this page</h2> <ul> <li><a href="#chp01">Mental health and wellness</a></li> <li><a href="#chp02">Factors influencing mental health</a></li> <li><a href="#chp03">Programs and services</a></li> <li><a href="#chp04">Raising awareness and reducing stigma</a></li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix"></div> <section> <h2 id="chp01">Mental health and wellness</h2> <p>Mental health and wellness include both the mental and emotional aspects of being such as how you think and feel. Some signs of good mental health include:</p> <ul> <li>knowing and taking pride in who you are</li> <li>enjoying life</li> <li>being able to form and maintain satisfying relationships</li> <li>coping with stress in a positive way</li> <li>striving to realize your potential</li> <li>having a sense of personal control</li> </ul> <div class="clearfix"></div> <div class="alert alert-info"> <ul class="list-unstyled lst-spcd-2"> <li>If you're experiencing emotional distress and want to talk, contact the toll-free <a rel="external" href="/eng/1576089519527/1576089566478">Hope for Wellness Help Line</a> at <a href="tel:+18552423310" class="nowrap">1-855-242-3310</a> or the online chat at <a href="https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/">hopeforwellness.ca</a> open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.</li> <li>For e-mental health support coast to coast, <b>text 686868</b> for young people under 18 years and <b>text 741741</b> for users over 18 years. You can also call <a href="tel:+18006686868" class="nowrap">1-800-668-6868</a> or visit <a rel="external" href="https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/first-nations-inuit-and-metis/">kidshelpphone.ca</a>. There is no issue too big or too small.</li> </ul> </div> <p>For more long term care, contact a <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada/corporate/contact-us-first-nations-inuit-health/regional-offices.html">First Nations and Inuit Health Regional Office</a>.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="chp02">Factors influencing mental health</h2> <p>Many factors can influence your health, including your mental health. These are commonly known as the <a rel="external" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html">determinants of health</a>. They include such things as how much money you make, how much education you have and your relationships with family and friends. Supportive relationships with family and friends can make you feel cared for, loved, esteemed and valued. As a result, they have a protective effect on your health (World Health Organization, 2003).</p> <p>Historical determinants, such as the legacy of residential schools, are believed to have shaped the mental health of Indigenous peoples. A research project commissioned by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation found that the most common mental health diagnoses were post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse disorder and major depression (Research Series, 2003).</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="chp03">Programs and services</h2> <p>Indigenous Services Canada is committed to helping First Nations and Inuit communities by funding mental health-related programs and services:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/eng/1576092066815/1576092115467">National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy (NAYSPS) Program Framework</a></li> <li><a href="/eng/1576089851792/1576089910366">National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program</a></li> <li><a href="/eng/1576441552462/1576441618847">Mental health counselling benefits</a></li> <li><a href="/eng/1581971225188/1581971250953">Indian Residential Schools Mental Health Support Program</a></li> <li><a rel="external" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada/services/jordans-principle.html?utm_campaign=not-applicable&utm_medium=vanity-url&utm_source=canada-ca_jordans-principle">Jordan's Principle</a></li> </ul> </section> <section> <h2 id="chp04">Raising awareness and reducing stigma</h2> <p>Increased awareness of mental health and wellness can reduce stigma for those who need to access mental health support.</p> <ul> <li><a href="/eng/1602259188121/1602259217203">World Mental Health Day 2020: Video</a></li> </ul> </section> <section> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/eng/1576089519527/1576089566478">Hope for Wellness Help Line</a></li> <li><a href="/eng/1576093687903/1576093725971">First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework - Summary Report</a></li> <li><a href="https://cmha.ca/" rel="external">Canadian Mental Health Association</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyfactsheets/" rel="external">Canadian Psychological Association's Your Health: 'Psychology Works' Fact Sheets</a></li> <li><a rel="external" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/stop-family-violence.html">Stop Family Violence</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.suicideinfo.ca/" rel="external">Centre for Suicide Prevention</a></li> </ul> </section>  <div class="row row-no-gutters mrgn-tp-xl"> <div class="col-sm-7 col-lg-6"> <section class="gc-pg-hlpfl provisional"> <div class="well mrgn-bttm-0"> <form id="gc-pg-hlpfl-frm" action="#" method="post" autocomplete="off"> <input type="hidden" name="institutionopt" value="Institution acronym - required - must use same value EN and FR"> <input type="hidden" name="themeopt" value="Indigenous peoples"> <input type="hidden" name="language" value="Language - required - 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Mental health and wellness in First Nations and Inuit communities