Mental health: May 2014 Archives

Wednesday May 21, 2014

The number of Island youth needing to be admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for psychiatric care has been increasing. But the hospital's psychiatric ward doesn't always have enough room for them.

One parent has told CBC her daughter waited a full week in pediatrics without receiving the care she needed. Health PEI admits the situation isn't ideal and is looking for a solution.

Kerry Campbell joins us now with the details. He spoke with Pam Trainor with Health PEI, and Dr. Kathleen Pajer, head of the psychiatric department at the IWK children's hospital in Halifax.

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Categories: Health/Medicine, Mental health

Wednesday May 14, 2014

Heroes Are Human PTSD Tour

Posted by Bill van Asperen

The Heroes Are Human Tour visits Charlottetown today. The cross-country tour aims to raise awareness and end the stigma of post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Vince Savoia is organizing the tour. He's a former Toronto paramedic who had his own experience with PTSD. We've reached Vince by phone in Yarmouth, where he held an event last night.

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Categories: Awareness Campaign, Health/Medicine, Mental health

Monday May 12, 2014

John Macdonald's journey with PTSD

Posted by Bill van Asperen

On Wednesday, a cross-country tour to build awareness about posttraumatic stress disorder stops in Charlottetown. The "Heroes are Human" tour aims to educate people about the signs of PTSD and encourage people to get help. Anywhere between one in ten to one in four first responders face PTSD, according to a PEI psychologist.

This morning we hear from John MacDonald, who grew up in Rice Point and knows those horrors first hand. John struggles daily with triggers and flashbacks that pull him back to one horrible day. He shares his difficult journey with PTSD.

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