Inuit

Mental Wellness

The Mental Health Advisory Committee helped develop a broad vision of mental wellness for Inuit (and First Nations). The vision is that:

“…Inuit embrace the achievement of whole health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and economic well-being) through a comprehensive and coordinated approach that respects, values and utilizes traditional and cultural knowledge, methodologies, languages and ways of knowing.”
(Source: Mental Health Advisory Committee Strategic Action Plan)

In addition to this broad vision, an Inuit-specific vision was also developed. The Inuit-specific vision (described in the Alianait plan) is as follows:

“Inuit have expanded opportunities for positive self-expression; Inuit have the best of contemporary and traditional ways of life and the life skills to thrive in their environment; each person has value and the community recognizes their purpose and role and they are viewed as a contributing and needed member of society and Inuit have socio-economic conditions that promote mental wellness.”
(Source: Mental Health Advisory Committee Strategic Action Plan)

Improving Mental Health: A Community Priority 

Mental health, including suicide, has been identified as the highest priority health issue by Inuit across Canada. This was articulated in the 1999 Inuit Mental Health Strategy Workshop, and reiterated three years later in community workshops conducted by the Ajunnginiq (Inuit) Centre in the four Inuit regions.

Some factors that contribute to difficulties with mental health for Inuit are:

• loss of culture;
  
• lack of recognition;
  
• poverty;
  
• housing; and,
  
• addictions.

Although there are few statistics on the rates of mental illness among Inuit, it is known that Inuit, like other people around the world, suffer from mental illness. Yet, mental illness is not well understood by Inuit, and sometimes people will avoid those who are ill or make comments about them because their behaviour seems strange. (Content: NAHO)

Inuit Traditional Practices that Encouraged Resilience and Coping

The skills and values that Inuit traditionally used to cope with life’s hardships — patience, resolve, perseverance, and responsibility — are just as necessary today as they were in the past. They are the attitudes and behaviours that can help prevent suicide.

Today in communities across the North, Inuit are taking their lives at alarming rates. The suicide rate for young men in Nunavik (northern Quebec) is the highest in the world. Yet, 40 to 50 years ago suicides were not common among Inuit. Elders point out that people were often able to face difficulties, cope with their problems and move forward.

To understand how Inuit used to cope with hardships, the National Aboriginal Health Organization’s Ajunnginiq (Inuit) Centre spoke with groups of Elders from all four Inuit regions between December 2004 and March 2005. The Ajunnginiq Centre believes it is important to incorporate the knowledge of Elders in any attempts to change the sad pattern of suicide among Inuit. The Elders’ perspectives during the focus groups were very insightful. They noted that to survive, Inuit must:

• have hope that things will get better;
  
• feel they are loved;
  
• have opportunities to talk about problems and emotions so that bad feelings don’t grow too overwhelming;
  
• have skills to solve conflicts and arguments;
  
• be willing to face difficulties and take responsibility for making things better; and,
  
• have pride and belief in themselves.

As one Elder from Repulse Bay, Nunavut said about coping,

“People were encouraged to continue life despite the problems they have. It will never be the same problem all the time; they will be different ones. You will encounter problems in life and have to deal with them from time to time. That was the advice.”
(Source: NAHO)

Resources

Ajunnginiq Centre Resources on Mental Wellness
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/e/healthtopics/mentalwellness.php

Resilience: Overcoming Challenges and Moving on Positively
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/e/documents/2007-08-22ResilienceBook_final.pdf

What is Mental Illness
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/e/healthtopics/documents/WhatisMentalIllness.pdf

Ikajurniq, Basic Counselling Skills: Inuit Voices, Modern Methods
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/e/healthtopics/documents/IkajurniqMarch06.pdf

Helping Inuit Clients: cultural Relevance and Effective Counselling
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/english/pdf/journal_circumpolar_health.pdf

Culturally Sensitive Counselling with Inuit: An Example of Practical Application of Research
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/english/pdf/inuit_studies_conference.pdf

Canadian Mental Health Association: Conference Report
http://www.naho.ca/inuit/e/healthtopics/documents/CMHA.pdf