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I think opioid crisis is a symptom of the great prevalence of people with mental health conditions. I’d add that this great prevalence is really a reflection of the preponderance of fallacies in the contemporary mindset. For example:
1. I can think, consume, do what my mind wants without regard for the needs of my body, my community, rest of humanity or the planet.
2. All pain, suffering and illness must, should or can be avoided at all cost.
3. Having a “tool” (in the case of opioids or anything else for that matter) implies I know how and when to use it.
4. A set of rules that works yesterday will apply today; rules that works today should also work tomorrow; rules that work for one person, people, time or place should work for another.
5. I know how to manage the most important “tool” of all - my mind.
1. I can think, consume, do what my mind wants without regard for the needs of my body, my community, rest of humanity or the planet.
2. All pain, suffering and illness must, should or can be avoided at all cost.
3. Having a “tool” (in the case of opioids or anything else for that matter) implies I know how and when to use it.
4. A set of rules that works yesterday will apply today; rules that works today should also work tomorrow; rules that work for one person, people, time or place should work for another.
5. I know how to manage the most important “tool” of all - my mind.
6. It is up to someone or something or some other government to rescue me.
Many fallacies that are ingrained in the contemporary culture. Children are imprinted with these irreconcilable ironies and suffer the consequences of ignorance. Premature mortalities and morbidities such as that of opioid crisis, suicides, type 2 diabetic crisis may all just be manifestations of the contraction of awareness. These affects everyone and everyone we care about.
According to University and College Health Association:
http://oucha.ca/pdf/2016_NCHA-II_WEB_SPRING_2016_ONTARIO_CANADA_REFERENCE_GROUP_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.pdf
65 percent of students reported experiencing overwhelming anxiety in the previous year (up from 57 per cent in 2013).
46 per cent reported feeling so depressed in the previous year it was difficult to function (up from 40 per cent in 2013).
13 per cent had seriously considered suicide in the previous year (up from 10 per cent in 2013).
2.2 per cent reported attempting suicide in the last year (up from 1.5 per cent in 2013).
Nine per cent reported attempting suicide sometime in the past (not restricted to last year).
Mental health challenges seem to be the norm rather than the exception; and does not seem to go away with time.
According to CAMH:
By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
The Canadian health care spendings is already in excess of $250 Billions; while the tax revenues is only a little more than $300 Billions. It would seem that some wellness perspectives are fundamentally lacking in the contemporary mindset.
According to University and College Health Association:
http://oucha.ca/pdf/2016_NCHA-II_WEB_SPRING_2016_ONTARIO_CANADA_REFERENCE_GROUP_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.pdf
65 percent of students reported experiencing overwhelming anxiety in the previous year (up from 57 per cent in 2013).
46 per cent reported feeling so depressed in the previous year it was difficult to function (up from 40 per cent in 2013).
13 per cent had seriously considered suicide in the previous year (up from 10 per cent in 2013).
2.2 per cent reported attempting suicide in the last year (up from 1.5 per cent in 2013).
Nine per cent reported attempting suicide sometime in the past (not restricted to last year).
Mental health challenges seem to be the norm rather than the exception; and does not seem to go away with time.
According to CAMH:
By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
The Canadian health care spendings is already in excess of $250 Billions; while the tax revenues is only a little more than $300 Billions. It would seem that some wellness perspectives are fundamentally lacking in the contemporary mindset.
There also seem to be an imprecise sense that it’s I vs the world; I or we vs you; mine vs yours; us vs them; constituents vs politicians; patients vs doctors; parents vs teachers; one team, preference, choice, gender, race, nation, religion, believe vs another; etc.
These erroneous premises appears to be the source of all sufferings. Such imagined divides can not be bridged by formalities, apologies, rules, policies or laws; they exist in varying forms and degrees within the individuals.
Knowledge of these imprecision within myself is only a start; eliminating them is entirely another matter. It is a lifelong process that requires authenticity, listening and sharing.
How can I change anything external, when I can’t even change what’s within?
It would then seem that the only solutions relevant to me would start with me.
1. Wide adoption of Mindfulness training programs (such as Mindfulness without Border Ambassador Program) and robust nutrition education at every level of the education system: schools, colleges and universities.
(I facilitate resilience groups for medical students and will speak at a local school parent teacher meeting on “addictions and mindfulness training”)
2. Wellness role modeling and promotion by our political leaders, community leaders, celebrities and other opinion makers.
( I spoke at a community garden club on “pain, suffering and illness”; it was well received, I will do the same at the community recreation center)
3. Wellness programs in government and private organizations.
(I now have some potential opportunities to help start “employee wellness programs” at the hospital and at a large corporation)
4. Expanded availability of GROUP psychotherapy in primary care, psychiatry care and beyond can greatly expand capacity. (I now run five weekly groups for patients in my practice and the community. These groups complements my family and emergency practices. If anyone like to learn to run these groups or want to know more; I’d be happy to help!)
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