DCO Discourse...

“Make your choice, adventurous Stranger, Strike the bell and bide the danger, Or wonder, till it drives you mad, What would have followed if you had.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew Motivational speaker, Nina Spencer discusses how to find the passion in what you do. This podcast was recorded live at the DCO conference 2019. If you enjoyed this podcast please contact DCO membership at info@dco...

Our second part/episode on this topic looks at the family impact of problem Gambling. Family members and friends may struggle with questions such as: Why did they lie to me? How come they didn’t talk to me? Why are they never home? Why don’t they just stop? How could they do this to themselves, and to us? How are we going to manage financially? Who is going to take care of us? They may also experi...

It doesn’t take a lot of work to find that there are places all around us where people have the opportunity to participate in gambling activities. The gambling industry is like most other businesses. It provides a service (places to gamble) and hopes to make as much money as it possibly can. Gambling is one of the largest entertainment industries in Canada. It brings in more money than television...

They can feel marginalized; feel trapped in their homes, avoid social contacts and miss opportunities to find work because of the everyday prejudices which create a host of obstacles for those trying to recover from drug addictions. Offers of work or housing are commonly withdrawn when it becomes known that the recipient has had a serious drug problem, even if they have stopped using. Yet employme...

For centuries, opiates have been used both recreationally and medicinally. While recreational use is now outlawed in most countries, their medical use as a painkiller is widespread. Opiate addiction and / or dependency, an ever increasing worldwide health problem, is greatly impacting lives. There are economic, personal and public health consequences to drug addiction that transcend gender, socio-...

In this episode of the DCO podcast we talk to Andrea about her struggle with addiction.

The nature of the work that is carried out at crisis/distress lines makes us all vulnerable to feeling the stressors that affect our everyday lives. Our personal situations and stressors can also have an impact on how we react to the work we do, and at times, we need to evaluate why we sometimes feel it becomes too much. In the very insightful presentation by Yvette Perreault, director of the AIDS...

Statistics indicate that approximately 1% to 4.2% of women have suffered from anorexia in their lifetime, and eating disorders have the highest fatality rate of any mental illness. Eating disorders may or may not be the first reason a crisis/distress line caller is reaching out, but eating disordered behaviours might be disclosed as a significant part of the problem. Callers may express their chal...

In Canada, our system of care for concurrent disorders is fragmented and compartmentalized—with varying treatment approaches and programs developed on a model that treats either the addiction or mental health issue exclusively as the primary focus—creating a system that is not well equipped to treat both disorders concurrently and results in poor client outcomes and system inefficiency. When field...

There are many reasons to become aware of the impact of Concurrent Disorders. Many do not understand that substance use can trigger or worsen mental health problems; and in some cases, may mask an undiagnosed mental illness that already exists. Conversely, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or psychotic symptoms can lead one to use substances, which can progress into a development of...

How extensive are addictive behaviours? Stats Canada (2003) found that addiction affects men and woman of all ages but that men are affected at a rate of 2-3 times higher than women. The highest use was found to be in people aged 15 to 24. Researchers found that 2.6 percent of Canadians were dependent on alcohol and fewer than 1 percent were dependent on illegal drugs (Addiction An Information Gui...

The content of every call to a crisis or distress line is recorded by the call responder. It is important that that the information recorded is done in a manner that is easily understood by the centre’s supervisor as well as other responders who may be receiving similar calls or who may want to learn from them. It is equally important to realize that reports can be subpoenaed by outside profession...

There are a number of types of Dementia which can be classified differently based on observed problems, such as memory, language, thinking, social behaviour, emotional state, and physical movement. Most individuals exhibit progressive loss over time which results from a degenerative disease process such as Alzheimer’s, while some types of brain injury (e.g., due to trauma or stroke) may result in...

Why is this a problem? Taking care of a senior can be difficult when he or she has many different needs, and it can be difficult to be elderly when age brings with it infirmities and dependence. Both the demands of caregiving and the needs of the elder can create situations in which abuse is more likely to occur. Researchers generally agree that the state of knowledge regarding elder abuse is abou...

PART 2 for PART 1 see A Family’s Response to Suicide – Knapp Family Sisters ( https://distressandcrisisontario.fireside.fm/15 ) Sisters Melanie & Marsha Knapp Losing a loved one is never easy. Losing a loved one is even more traumatic when it is unexpected; when it is by suicide. It seems there are many professionals, along with distress/crisis line volunteers who struggle with how to support...

Marsha and Melanie Knapp are very forthcoming with their emotions about bother Nick`s suicide and how they have tried to move forward to honour his life and advocate for seamless services for other suicide survivors. View A Family’s Response to Suicide – The Knapp Family PART 2 the conclusion of this topic series ( https://distressandcrisisontario.fireside.fm/16 )

Mood disorders which include major depression, bipolar disorder and dysthymia can affect individuals of all ages. The Canadian Public Health Agency reports approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives and approximately 1% will experience bipolar disorder. Studies have consistently documented higher rates of depression among women than men at a ratio of 2:...

Individuals working with women who are in abusive relationships will sometimes ask themselves why she does not leave. By asking the question in this manner, we are essentially blaming the woman which can negatively impact the support we intend to provide, therefore it is more helpful to reframe the question and ask what is preventing her from leaving. There are many barriers she faces and there ar...

Domestic violence is not a private matter even though the vast majority of it happens behind closed doors or in the intimate personal language of couples. It is a devastating reality for many Canadian families that cuts across all social, economic, religious, cultural groups. Consequently, abuse in intimate relationships carries an enormous financial and human cost. This type of abuse involves the...

In the presentation by Lori O’Neill, viewers will learn the issues many families face and how to best respond to their issues. She provides tips for de-escalating troubling emotional responses to difficult situations and offers suggestions for promoting effective stress management, increasing feelings of empowerment and moving forward in problem solving issues. National and global economic downtur...

Drinking at any time during pregnancy may cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It is a lifelong disability for which there is no cure. It is a lifelong disability for which there is no cure. In Canada, the statistics of diagnosed cases are a staggering 1% of the population or 300,000 people. In the U.S. it is estimated that as many as 40,000 babies are born with FASD each year. FASD refer...

Individuals living with a history of trauma and emotional pain cope day to day with the use of a variety of strategies. Some will use coping mechanisms that are considered harmless, while others will engage in less safe strategies. Self injurious behaviour is a response that many would find difficult to understand. It is best viewed as a maladaptive response to overwhelming and intolerable emotion...

Karen Fisher (RN, BScN & the Director of Care at the Hospice Wellington in Guelph Ontario), a certified Palliative Care Nurse with over 10 years of experience, defines the various ways in which bereaved individuals may work through their loss. She explains the emotional, physical, behavioural, societal, and spiritual responses to grief. She explains key concepts that help us understand the dif...

People who are diagnosed with major depression, personality disorders and/or who are abusing substances are at a greater risk of suicide attempts or completion. Canadian studies indicate that more than 90% of suicide victims have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder (CMHA Fact Sheet). Although depression is more recognized as being a risk factor, individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Dis...

Canadian statistics indicate that there are approximately 15 acts of suicide for every 100,000 people. In Ontario alone, there were 1,032 suicidal deaths reported in 2001. Taking one’s life represents insurmountable personal pain however, in the aftermath, it is the survivors who must come to grips with this traumatic and sudden loss. Often, suicide is committed in a violent manner, with or withou...