People in Timmins share their self-care tips on World Mental Health Day

Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day and according to the World Health Organization, the overall objective of the day is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize support efforts.

It turned out to be a fair-weather day in Timmins and some people took the time to share some of their strategies for maintaining good mental health with CTV News at the Hollinger Open Pit Lookout.

A beautiful autumn day in Timmins coaxed people outside to check out the view from the Hollinger Open Pit Lookout during its last weekend before it closes for the winter. Oct. 10/22 (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)

"What I do is I take a lot of breaks sometimes, sometimes I go for a walk and I like to exercise," said Marguerite Bourdage-Cote.

Her friend, Karine Harvey, said, "I play ringette and I love playing sports and getting into that; the adrenaline; just not thinking about anything else."

Jamie Francoeur, who was also out taking in the view at the Newmont Porcupine mine site said, "just taking the time to sit back if I need to and watch TV and relaxing make sure that I’m energized again."

For those who want to dig a little deeper to discover what might be creating blockages to a more positive mindset, a workshop with a certified 'Heal Your Life Teacher' is another option.

"We deserve to be loved. We deserve to have abundance in our life. Everybody deserves that," said Helene Fontaine, a teacher with 'Heal Your Life.'

"If we don’t receive, it’s because we have blockage and most of the time, it's ourselves who're creating those walls. We don’t allow things to happen to us."

For others, if their basic needs are not met, it can be a struggle to manage their mental health.

This is where the Cochrane-Temiskaming Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) comes in.

The organization puts the importance of housing at the top of the list and is following a new strategic plan with the vision of: "A community that embraces mental health as a key to well-being."

"In many ways, anxiety is a natural response to not knowing where you’re going to sleep tonight. And so the first mental health intervention is to support the housing needs of the people who access our services," said Paul Jalbert, the executive director for CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming.

The World Health Organization said the day is an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people everywhere. 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available.