Dr. Melissa Tennant James
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Dr. Melissa Tennant James, Psychiatrist for the Manchester Health Department
Psychiatrist for the Manchester Health Department, Dr. Melissa Tennant James, is calling for an end to stigma and discrimination against persons with mental health issues.
Addressing a World Mental Health Day function in Manchester on Monday morning, Dr. Tennant James said the time taken to address these issues, makes it difficult to provide other well needed mental health services such as psychotherapy, and counselling for trauma.
She said while families try to give support, it is often still is not enough, as they, too, are struggling.
Additionally, she said school children with mental health issues are often the victims of teasing, while they struggle with incidents of violence in the society.
Dr. Tennant James noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that a person's mental health can be negatively affected at anytime.
"We thought everything was well. We were managing, we were coping, but then COVID stepped in. We were shut in, we were isolated. There was the grief, the loss of our usual normalcy of life, embracing a new way of life, and that has been a very difficult challenge for many of us to navigate," she explained.
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