N.S. advocates say physical and mental health require same level of care

Taking caring for your mental health shouldn’t take second place according to Martina Kelades.

"I often say that our mind is the engine and our body is the vehicle,” said Kelades. “And so it’s really important to focus on the engine.”

Kelades is a mental health advocate and speaker. She said taking care of her mental health is a crucial part of her daily routine but physical health is often viewed as a more important or more valued goal.

"Especially this time of year... we're always thinking about our physical health and what we need to do to set the year forward,” Kelades said. “But we often forget about our mental health."

Instead of forgetting it, one official is calling on the federal government to prioritize it. Earlier this week, Governor General Mary Simon urged Canadians to treat their mental health with the same care as they would their physical health.

Starr Cunningham, the president of the Mental Heath Foundation of Nova Scotia, said she was thrilled to hear the governor general’s comments.

“Hearing our Governor General Mary Simon say those words was incredibly wonderful. And we agree that 2025 is the time to really focus on your mental health," said Cunningham. “No one else can do it for you so it’s so vital that you make yourself a priority.”

Cunningham said mental and physical health are “tied together.”

“Like salt and pepper, like peanut butter and bananas. You can’t have one without the other,” Cunningham said.

Halifax-based clinical psychologist, Dayna Lee Baggley agrees that mental and physical health are integrated.

"There's no physical illness that isn’t impacted by psychological or mental factors,” said Baggley. She recommends cultivating a routine to treat and maintain mental health.

"If you were having regular check ups to see how things were going with a psychologist or mental health provider, then we could probably offset a lot of things before it becomes a big crisis,” Baggley said.

Investing in your mental health isn’t easy, but Kelades said the hard work will pay off.

“It is a vulnerable process and its a difficult process to look at ourselves in the mirror and pinpoint those challenges, but it is so worth it," said Kelades.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.