Tag Archives: Canada

CPAC Vancouver Day 1.

Posted on by

I am in Vancouver at the Canadian Psychiatric Meeting, which is taking over two hotels…

By the time I got registered I had missed some of the first session, but did hear two talks — one on education on Mental Health and direct referral to community follow-up decreased liaison use and increased intern confidence in Ottawa, and a second on how a preclinical programme in Calgary decreases stigma and increases medical students choosing psychiatry.

I then went to a meeting designed to set up a nationwide group of tertiary psychiatrists dealing with the most seriously mentally ill. This was done years ago in Australia, NZ and the UK. It needs to be done in Canada, but they should look at what is happening elsewhere and build on that not just reinvent the wheel

After spending most of last night revising the talk, I had 15 minutes for 22 slides. With a very small audience — we started with six people in the room, of whom four were presenters.

However, that session included an analysis of community treatment orders which showed an improvement in death rate among those on orders (HR 0.6 95% CI 0.5 — 0.7). The author, Kisely, had done previous reviews which showed very little evidence for orders working.

The other two presenters talked about anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation (generalised worry and social phobia had higher associations)and Daneloo’s brief intervention being efficacious over 10 years.

I enjoyed that last session, even though the audience was small.

Prepare and pray.

Posted on by

There is a storm brewing. Alte derailed her own thread to talk about surviving periods of unrest. The economic pessimists have been saying things are getting worse for a while.  If you want the hard core vision of survival, John Wesley, Rawles argues it’s time to get out of Babylon to his version of the promised land — the frigid northern mountain states.

Micah speaks to us today. The storm brewing is of our own making — we have spent too much. We have borrowed too much.  Our expectations of what is poverty are too high — I was seriously informed that under 40 000 CAN is poor last week — which is very close to the 70 000 NZL  that leads to you being taxed at the maximal rate (the kiwi is around 75 c US: the Loonie however is  about $1.05 US)

Micah 7

7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.

9 I must bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he takes my side and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall see his vindication.

10 Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.

via Daily Lectionary Readings — Devotions and Readings — Mission and Ministry — GAMC.

Micah reminds us that these periods of depression and oppression are ephemeral. Things change, and change rapidly. Those in power are in the dungeons that they themselves made.

Now we should minimize our expenses, get real assets that can feed us, not rely on the state (except to oppress us) and reduce debt to none or as close to none as we can get.

We will expect that those around us will do whatever it takes to survive. We are told to wait upon the LORD, and trust in his vindication. We are not, not told, that this wait will be pleasant. We are told instead that it is painful.

If you are called to move, move. If not, prepare for disasters — because they can occur, and the consequences will resonate for months to years.