A Disney film that drives the conversation about mental health

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It has been called “The Best Pixar Movie in Years” (Forbes.com) and currently has a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes (Rottentomatoes.com) and Malinda Hirvilammi says there are many connections the best represented in “Inside Out 2”. ” and dealing with mental health.

Hirvilammi is the Health Outreach Coordinator at the Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District (CMHA NBD). She was recently a guest on “To North Bay with Love” with Lisa Boivin and talked about how “Inside Out 2” is bringing the mental health conversation to the forefront.

“It’s been a really interesting boat to bring up the conversation around mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and accepting our emotions and how they can affect our lives,” Hirvilammi said. said. A teenage girl expresses her thoughts in a relatable way that makes the subject accessible to people of all ages.

Hirvilammi noted how Inside Out and its sequels highlight the importance of understanding and recognizing emotions at an early age. “I watched it with my kids, and it was a great, impactful experience,” he said, praising how movies can help families start conversations about emotions. insight and understanding. ”

Although the films mostly follow Riley’s journey through childhood and adolescence, Hirvilammi emphasizes their relevance to adults as well. “What happens in the film can be transferred to any life event for anyone regardless of their age. Whether you are selling your house, moving to a new place, starting a new job, or losing a loved one, all when we face the times when emotions guide us.”

One of the important additions to Inside Out 2 is the introduction of complex emotions, including anxiety, jealousy, shame, and reflection, which Hirvilammi feels are very important. “These feelings, especially anxiety, are often considered negative, but they serve a purpose. Anxiety is there to protect us, to let us know to stay alert, or to plan for the future. It is part of our daily lives, and if managed correctly, it can push us in the right direction.”

Hirvilammi stressed that one of the biggest challenges around mental health is the stigma that still exists, although he is hopeful for progress. “We all come from different backgrounds, and some of us are ashamed, in denial or afraid to share that this might be happening to us. But the truth is, it’s something we all share. We all have mental health. Some of us may be living with mental illness but you can live with mental illness and be mentally healthy. And likewise, you can have poor mental health without having a diagnosed illness.”

Hirvilammi says it often helps someone to feel heard, not just to increase their mental health and well-being. A good example related to the movie is how quickly things feel like they are going wrong and those negative feelings and symptoms continue.

there is snow where you start to calm down. Often times realizing “I need to do something about this” and taking a simple self-care step like talking to a friend can help reduce that.

He says that talking about mental health openly is important to growing a healthy and mentally healthy society. It also makes it less of a taboo subject. In the past, people didn’t have help to deal with stress and feel safe talking about their mental health. Today, there are more opportunities to open up and share our experiences which is a big part of mental health awareness. When people talk about their feelings, problems and experiences, it helps others feel safe to get help for their mental health.

At CMHA NBD, Hirvilammi and his team work to provide that support through a variety of services. “Our local programs are focused on what the community needs,” he said, explaining that the organization has four main program pillars: peer support, addiction treatment, supportive and specialized housing. , and mental health support services.

Since housing is one of the core programs, CMHA NBD often receives inquiries from people seeking housing. Hirvilammi explains, “We have a lot of questions about that, and housing is in high demand, in need, not cheap and getting worse. About the services we provide , CMHA North Bay and the District own and operate a variety of support facilities in the community for people already receiving support services and living with mental illness more through our housing success program to ensure that not only are their health needs met, but other risks to their homes are reduced.”

Hirvilammi has been with the organization for 15 years and says what he likes about his job is that he gets to do everything that is important to him.

“Mental health has always been important to me. I describe myself as a person with life experience. I have relatives diagnosed with mental illness. According to statistics, one in five Canadians live with a mental illness and I always say if you don’t live with one, chances are you care about someone who does, that’s what I’ve always said. I love it, and once I get into it. the field that the desire to help people was a very rewarding experience.”

Hirvilammi said people interested in using their services can call the main line at 705-476-4088. He says, “You’ll be directed to our Central Access department, and they can talk to you about your needs, and maybe do a dietary assessment to see if we have the right services for you. And we don’t.” If not, it helps if they have the skills to refer you to programs within the community. In addition, there are many state and national programs that you can access from home. available almost over the phone. It’s a great start for anyone who thinks they might need support with their mental health and doesn’t know where to start.”

A big question that Hirvilammi often hears and asks individuals is how do people know when they need help with their mental health. He answers, “Our sense of ourselves and our journey of what mental health and wellness looks like for each person is unique.

If you have symptoms that affect your daily life, your ability to go to work, you may be withdrawing from your friends, you have increasing symptoms of chronic anxiety, or you are depressed. It’s not just you. I think that would be a good sign that maybe it would be a good opportunity to pursue to see where you can go from there. ”

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