Hello again everyone, and festive wishes to you all! I hope that you are enjoying the holiday season, and have had far too much turkey with family and friends. Although Christmas is an opportunity for fun, I know that for some it is a depressing time for various reasons. Whether it is money worries, relationship issues or something completely different, things in our lives sometimes spiral out of control and we struggle to deal effectively with our thoughts, feelings and emotions. We feel stressed. Stress is our body’s physical, mental and emotional response to change, and it is a normal reaction to the demands of life. However, being under too much stress can seriously affect our physical and mental wellbeing.
Our mental or psychological health plays a significant role in our ability to enjoy a happy and productive life. Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave, so staying mentally healthy and well should be top priority. Mental health covers a wide range of feelings, behaviours, abilities and conditions. One in five Canadians will deal with a mental health condition at some time in their life and, even though most mental health issues are treatable, only about one third of people seek help. Believe me, I know first-hand about stress and mental health. There is no weakness in admitting that things are getting too much, and seeking professional help in order to help you cope.
Here are some other tips that you may find useful:
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Get active! Exercise regularly, go for a walk, take the stairs.
• Make time for sleep and get a good night’s rest.
• Know what triggers stress for you, and add healthy coping tools to your routine.
In addition to this, always know that there are people who love you and care about you. If you use social media to tell the world how depressed you are then there is every likelihood that somebody will call the police and tell us that they are concerned for your welfare. If that is the case, then we have an obligation to ensure your safety, so we will be making every effort to see you and establish your mental wellbeing. The police will not be judging you, but we need to do our due diligence. I don’t need to tell you how we would be perceived and what the fallout would be if we didn’t take concerns about your safety seriously or professionally; we just need to know that you are safe and well.
I want to conclude by thanking you all for your continued support in my role as your liaison officer. I reiterate that this is absolutely the best role I have had in 22 years of policing, and that goes in no small part to all of you. I wish you much happiness in the coming year, and encourage you to connect with me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. As always, stay safe and look out for each other.
