As of July 2013, Calgary’s population hit 1.15 million people, creating a need for more healthcare resources. The city is home to myriad healthcare professionals, and it gives great precedence to the mental health sector with approximately 66 mental health facilities. Mental ailments affect Albertan residents, such as those living in Calgary, more than physical ailments. The most prominent ailments that affect these individuals are depression and anxiety. Depression is a debilitating ailment that affects several individuals, including the working class and the elderly. Untreated depression in Calgary has led to an increase in suicides and suicide attempts within the spoken demographic.
Not all individuals affected by mental health issues are of the working age. A study in Calgary of 971 upper level high school students showed that the adolescent demographic could also fall prey to the ills of anxiety and depression. The study further shows that individuals who may have anxiety issues should be given the opportunity to intertwine their educational prowess with mental health counseling to create a balance.
Within this balance, the student may receive the assistance they need for their condition while maintaining appropriate marks within their classes. Anxiety is a condition that affects individuals ability to concentrate, think rationally, and can cause severe stress to major organs. Having the ability to find assistance and guidance can be the defining factor between allowing it to grow into something far greater and curbing it on the spot.
Neither anxiety nor depression are limited to specific demographics. Both can affect anyone who presents the signs and symptoms, has socioeconomic stressors, the biological markers, and appropriate personality traits. While many Calgary residents are affected by these ailments, the stigma associated with them prevents individuals from receiving the quality care they need.
Approximately 75 percent of Albertans who have knowledge of these ailments refuse to see a professional because of the negativity associated with them. However, allowing one to participate in psychotherapeutic sessions may save their life and should be pursued if there are signs of depression, anxiety, or any other illness. Once the decision has been made, individuals can turn to various resources to help give them the steps needed for successful treatment.
Calgary, like most of Canada, has several ways that individuals can pay for the sessions without having to worry about the lasting effects on their finances. Programs such as AHCIP will help Calgary residents pay for several different procedures and sessions, including mental health visits and counseling sessions.
While anxiety and depression may seem like they are hopeless, while there may be undeserved negative stigma attached to receiving help, and while socioeconomic factors may come into play, individuals should remember that there are ways to escape the ills of mental stress within the Calgary Zone and those ways are just within reach. There are still several chances for residents within Calgary to get the psychotherapeutic sessions or counseling necessary.