Mental Health
The Canadian Mental Health Association defines mental health as "striking a balance in all aspects of your life: social, physical, spiritual, and mental." It is your overall emotional and psychological well being. Mental disorders can be caused by a number of things, from the chemical make up of your brain to outside stresses on your life (i.e., work and family problems).
In Canada, seeking help or counselling in the mental health area is not looked upon as a sign of weakness, but is accepted as a way to improve our emotional well being.
When immigrating and settling, your mental health can sometimes be challenged. There are many factors that could be a source of distress when in the settling stage:
- Unemployment
- Being isolated from family and friends
- Financial instability
- Language barriers
- Cultural differences
Resources such as the
Nova Scotia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association and the
Canadian Health Network can provide you with information about mental health, and direct you to other resources.