self-medication and mental health awareness and …

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SELF-MEDICATION AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

Caitlin Chew BSc. PharmD 2021 caitlin_chew@alumni.ubc.caApril 17th 2019

Agenda• Goals • Project Timeline • Project Outline • Future Directions

Did You Know?

• Only 32% of individuals facing mental health challenges/experiencing signs and symptoms access help. (Statistics Canada, 2002)

• The total cost of mental health conditions to the Canadian economy exceeds $50 billion annually. (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2019)

Goals ü Enhance awareness about the role self-medication

plays in mental health. üDefine and describe common self-medication

examples and situations.ü Provide tools and resources for awareness and

activation for self and others.

Project Timeline

Environmental Scan

Research Consolidation

Information Packaging

Self-Care vs. Self-Medication• Self-care is important, even more so in the presence

of physical and mental health conditions • Self-medication as a form of self-care • Concern when there is an overuse

Self-Medication

Social Use Concern- Cultural/Spiritual reasons - Celebratory - Occasional use

- Require to feel “normal” - Ongoing use above

recommended levels - Using in response to stress- Hiding use from friends

and family

UBC’s Commitment • EFAP: Employee and Family

Assistance Program • Private in-person

counselling session • Family Physician • UBC Pharmacists Clinic

Lessons Learned • Environmental scan vs literature search • The Big Picture • Challenges: – Learning the importance conveying sensitive information– Dealing with a large amount of information – Figuring out how to integrate this piece of work into the

bigger picture at UBC

Future • Future of this project – Evaluation plans

References1) Statistics Canada. Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental health and well-being. 2002

2) Mental Health Commission of Canada. What is the issue. 2019

3) Canadian Mental Health Association. Depression, Anxiety, Alcohol and Other Drugs. 2018.

4) Here to Help. What’s the Difference Between Substance Use and Addiction. 2015.

5) Jefferson B. Prince MD, Timothy E. Wilens MD, Thomas J. Spencer MD and Joseph Biederman MD Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry, 49, 538-551.e10.

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THANK YOU!

Caitlin Chew BSc. PharmD Candidate 2021 caitlin_chew@alumni.ubc.caApril 17th 2019