Health and Wellness
The phrase, Log kya kahenge meaning ‘what will people say,’ highlights a mindset within South Asian communities about the way people act, hold expectations, or even choose to participate in programs. This mindset has also been a contributing roadblock for many people when talking about and seeking out mental health support.
In February of this year, before the global pandemic emerged, an audience of 289 gathered at Westwinds Jamatkhana in Calgary, Alberta to learn about mental health and suicide prevention in youth through a dramatic performance entitled Screaming in Silence. National and local institutional leadership and family units consisting of multiple generations were in attendance.
During the pandemic, mental health has come to the forefront of many discussions, not only because of the effects of the virus on the body, but because of additional factors such as changes in daily life, job stress, stay at home orders, and reductions in social interactions within and outside the Jamat. A silver lining of the virus is the growing awareness and more frequent conversations around the topic of mental health.
The Covid-19 outbreak has not only drastically affected healthcare systems, major economies, social interactions, education, and almost every aspect of normal human life, but has also brought about unexpected, unprecedented, and rather sudden changes in our lives, which most of us were probably not ready for. On World Mental Health Day, 10 October, we find out how to deal with these circumstances and strive towards healthy minds and healthy lives.
The Covid-19 crisis has only added to our pre-existing stresses and worries. With new lifestyle changes, unusual working environments, and restrictions on social interactions, the pandemic has caught us off guard and unprepared. Although many of us are adjusting to a new normal, it is quite natural to feel overwhelmed and experience burnout. What can we do to help? Here are some tips to try out.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, 36 per cent of Americans say coronavirus is having a serious impact on their mental health. This means that in every group of three friends, at least one could be at risk of developing a mental health condition.
Mawlana Hazar Imam has frequently commented on the value of sharing our time and knowledge with Jamats around the world and with the communities in which they live. Canadian Ismaili health professionals have taken that message to heart, having a long history of partnering with the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to improve the quality of life of people around the world.
In mid-March, as Covid-19 arrived in Canada amidst fear and panic, Rahim Bhimani began talking with his peers in Toronto, discussing possible ways they could help to serve health care workers in the local area and beyond.
In his address at TEDxOudMetha, held at the Ismaili Centre Dubai weeks before widespread social distancing was implemented, Dr Salmaan Keshavjee, Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard University and Director of the Harvard Medical School’s Centre for Global Health Delivery, discussed how many other diseases, beyond Covid-19, continue to affect peoples’ quality of life and cause untimely death, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even curable infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB).
As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world and fundamentally change how we live our everyday lives, many of us are experiencing a toll on our mental health. Especially during times of uncertainty, it’s important to focus on our mental and emotional well-being in order to navigate these difficult circumstances in a healthy way. Here are some strategies to try in the weeks and months to come.
In contributing to the development of human knowledge, historic Muslim societies laid the foundations of modern science and medicine. Throughout history, Muslim doctors and nurses pushed the boundaries of medical science, and established hospitals and clinics. Today, and especially at the current time, the modern world is indebted to these figures and institutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe affecting virtually all aspects of our lives. The Aga Khan Health Board for Canada organised this webinar, discussing the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on various facets of our lives.