Mental Health Week: A Call to be Kind

This year’s Mental Health Week is centered on the healing power of compassion.

The words empathy and compassion are often used interchangeably. However, they are actually different. As we enter Mental Health Week, it is important for us to be aware of how we are practicing empathy versus compassion and how this difference can help us navigate challenges and be mindful of burnout.

Empathy can be described as feeling with a person. Empathy is an essential component of building connections with other people. However, it can cause us to become blended with the emotions, pain, and suffering of others. Research shows that when we are experiencing empathy for someone in pain, our own pain network in our brain becomes active. When we experience empathy for a long period of time, it is possible that we can take on someone else’s pain and experience burnout, fatigue, or numbness.

Compassion can be described as the feeling of care or concern for a person coupled with a desire to help. Compassion activates parts of our brain that helps create positive emotion and the parts of our brain that provide a reward. It allows us hold space for the emotions of others while having some distance between how they are feeling and how we are feeling. This emotional distance allows us to better sit with the other person’s emotions and offer options for support.

Keep this difference in mind as you look to connect with others. Reflect on how you can hold space for others while setting boundaries to prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.

This Mental Health Week, let’s challenge ourselves to also practice the act of self-compassion. Check out these tools and resources.

Throughout Mental Health Week, we encourage you to practice compassion by not only acknowledging suffering but actively demonstrating care and kindness. Examples might include giving yourself a compliment, helping a family member, or volunteering in your community. You can use the one-page journal to record your daily compassionate actions.

Interested in learning more about compassion and empathy? Read more about the fascinating research.

If you are struggling with your mental health in any way, you can:

• Reach out to a healthcare provider (e.g. family doctor, nurse practitioner)
• Reach out to the Health Navigation Service which can help you navigate the healthcare system and facilitate access to psychotherapy services for members of the Jamat who may be struggling with mental health concerns. Psychotherapy refers to a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identity and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Most psychotherapy takes place one-on-one with a licensed mental health professional or with other patients in a group setting. Subsidies to cover fees may be available for those who are eligible.

Call 9-8-8 if you are dealing with suicidal thoughts and/or a crisis.