Ottawa-Carleton, ON

Crisis and Emergency

What is Abuse and Domestic Violence? Abuse is behaviour used to intimidate, isolate, dominate or control another person. It may be a pattern of behaviour or it may be a single incident. Abusive behaviour might involve acts or words or even neglect.   Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or financial: Physical abuse is when someone hurts you physically in any way. It includes hitting, kicking, slapping, pinching, cutting, stabbing, and shooting. All of these examples are assault, which is a crime in Canada and the United States. Sexual touching or sexual activity is abuse if you do not consent or if ...
What is Suicide? Suicide is the act of ending one's life. It is unfortunate, but modern society tends to be stressful and disconnecting, and as a result, some children and youth may think about ending their lives. People may suicidal when they feel disconnected from people or activities that give a sense of belonging, purpose, hope and meaning.  Stresses can contribute, such as: School stress such as problems with friends, schoolwork, teachers, bullies.Home stress, such as conflict or disagreements with family members. Work stresses such as problems with co-workers, bosses, workload.Modern society, with the way that ...
What Is It? Delirium is a sudden change in how a person thinks or acts. Delirium can occur in all ages, though the elderly and the very young, are at the highest risk. It can happen to anyone, however most commonly happens to patients who are already in hospital. Signs of Delirium The first sign of delirium is that you notice that your loved one appears to act differently and not as you’d expect. Caregivers often say, “He is not himself… This is not like my child at all….” Classic signs include: Confusion and disorientation, such as:Getting confused about the time or dateGetting confused about who he or she is, not recognizing ...
What is Mental Health? Mental health (like our physical health) is a resource for living.  It allows us to learn, work, play and find enjoyment in life. It helps us through tough times. From a child or teen’s point of view, mental health means things such as… I feel like I have things to live forI feel hopeful and good about the futureI like myselfI’m satisfied, content or happy with lifeI feel that people care about meI feel in control of my life What is Mental Illness? People have mental health problems or mental illnesses when problems with thoughts, feelings or behaviours get in the way of functioning at home, school or ...
What Is Psychosis? Psychosis is a serious medical condition in which a person has trouble telling the difference between what is real and what is not real, typically with symptoms such as delusions and/or hallucinations:   Delusions:  Delusions are fixed, false beliefs which do not have a basis in reality. Types of delusions include Paranoid delusions, where a person may become suspicious of others and worried about being harmed by others. It may include fears of being spied on or being followed. Bizarre delusions are delusions that are strange and completely impossible, e.g. believing that one is controlled by ...
Introduction Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that causes changes in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviours. It can make someone hear or see things that others cannot see. It can make someone feel unsafe, afraid, and lead to avoiding other people, and loss of function. Without proper treatment, it can cause serious problems with school, work and relationships. Fortunately, help is available for those with schizophrenia. In addition, there are many things that family and friends can do to support their loved ones with schizophrenia. Do I Have Schizophrenia? The following is a list of some symptoms of ...
Mary's Story Mary is a 14-yo teenager who has always been somewhat quiet and shy, so her mother was surprised when she found out that Mary started dating a boy this school year. But lately, Mary's been a lot moodier than usual. And just the other day, Mary's mother caught a glimpse of Mary's forearms and saw that they had scratches and cuts all over them. Like most parents would feel in such a situation, Mary's mother felt suddenly scared and confused, and thought to herself "This is terrible! I've no idea how to deal with this! What am I supposed to do!" What is Self-Harm? Self-harm is the deliberate attempt to harm oneself and in most ...
1. Keep in Touch With Your Mental Health Service Provider Ask to be put on a cancellation list (if your provider has one). This gives you the possibility of being seen more quickly. If another family cancels an appointment, your service provider calls you to see if your child or teen can make the appointment time. If not, you can wait for the next availabale appointment. Make sure your provider has up to date contact information for you, including a number where you can be reached during the day.    Let your mental health service provider (or family doctor) know if your child or teen is getting worse. Your child’s place ...