While personal differences can arise among people within communities, religions, or entire nations, a common ground most can agree upon is the importance of oneSA国际影视传媒檚 health.

Four unique perspectives on mental health and what each of those viewpoints mean within the realms of public health and religion were discussed during the 15th annual Voices for Peace conference in Yellowknife on Sunday.

Imam Muzaffar Ahmad, a representative with Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaSA国际影视传媒檃t Canada, said the event was first created by their leader to unify people in their understanding of various topics.

SA国际影视传媒淗e said that we as a people need to unite, regardless of our faith or whatever our background or culture is,SA国际影视传媒� Ahmad said.

SA国际影视传媒淪o for this, we need to have dialogue. Dialogue is very important among each other as a people, because we have to start looking at people as people, not who they are, who they represent, but to remember that we are all individuals, and we all need those basic human rights.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat's why we started with this Voices of Peace conference, because basically it is people coming together from all different backgrounds and faiths and cultures and discussing topics that affects us all, as well as coming together in that sense that we can help each other with those difficulties or those problems,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

This yearSA国际影视传媒檚 theme was Faith and Well-Being: Nurturing Mental Health and Resilience and explored various aspects of mental wellness, healing and how trauma affects oneSA国际影视传媒檚 health, a topic that affects people around the globe, Ahmad said.

Perspectives on helping

The first to speak during the event was Roy Erasmus, a Dene counsellor, who co-owns the Dene Wellness Warriors healing and counselling service with his wife, Jean.

Providing an Indigenous perspective on mental health and wellness, Erasmus discussed their future plans for a trauma healing lodge based in the NWT and said the event was SA国际影视传媒渧ery insightfulSA国际影视传媒�, as people can be affected by trauma in various ways such as addictions, which then causes further negative issues.

Patrick Scott of Yellowknife spoke from a Christian perspective during the event.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not about practice, itSA国际影视传媒檚 about doing,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said of his core Christian belief.

He said what Jesus taught people was a very simple message.

SA国际影视传媒淗is message was ... love. Life is about loving one another and I think that is what Christianity is in its purest form,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said. SA国际影视传媒淏e good to those who hate you. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemy. But think about what we live in today. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not happening."

Scott went on to say that while a common sentiment directed towards someone facing hardship or difficulties is the phrase, SA国际影视传媒榯houghts and prayersSA国际影视传媒�, he said more has to be done to actually help those in need or suffering.

From an Islamic perspective, faith leader Imam Aizaz Khan from Vaughan, Ont., talked of the significance of prayer in oneSA国际影视传媒檚 daily life.

SA国际影视传媒淭his subject of faith and well-being is so crucial, especially as faith leaders, sometimes we become the first responders,SA国际影视传媒� Khan said of difficult situations that may arise involving others.

SA国际影视传媒淪o, the fact that we can have this discussion as a community, it helps us as faith leaders to learn about how we can navigate some situations that we ourselves may not be prepared for.SA国际影视传媒�

Khan said prayer can be a refuge from severe calamity and from being overtaken by the depths of misery.

SA国际影视传媒淚magine if all of us met together in this very hall five times a day. How much would we know about each other, about issues that we may be facing, places in our life where we need each other, need some sort of help?SA国际影视传媒� he asked the audience.

SA国际影视传媒淭he wisdom and the philosophy in the Islamic prayer is that as Muslims, we pray five times in one single day...It's not only to worship God, it's so that we can build that sense of community, so that we can know what troubles other people are going through, and see if we can we position ourselves to be some sort of relief for them,SA国际影视传媒� Khan said.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I wish to convey this message to the people of Yellowknife as well is that we are here to help you and to serve you in any way that we are able to. But we need to know from the people of Yellowknife what we can do to help.SA国际影视传媒�

Contributing factor

A public health perspective on mental health was provided by Dr. Kami Kandola, who likened a movie scene from the Lord of the Rings in which an evil plan of deceit and betrayal was plotted, to the current opioid crisis in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is not hard to draw parallels to our situation now,SA国际影视传媒� Kandola said. SA国际影视传媒淔riends, families and communities have watched their loved ones fall prey into a destructive downward spiral of addiction through false friends or drug dealers and once hooked, they (drug dealers) now have secure customers.SA国际影视传媒�

Kandola said the drug situation has continually worsened in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淎s chief public health officer of the Northwest Territories, I now find myself at the forefront of a crisis that has been affecting many Canadians since 2016,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎t the same time, rates of anxiety and depression significantly increased, especially among our young population. This left the vulnerability of substance misuse, which is fuelled by the pain, trauma and loss of connection among people.SA国际影视传媒�

Kandola said connecting with those suffering from addictions is an essential part of providing help.

SA国际影视传媒淭he first step is letting people know that the door is open for dialogue," she said. "We may not like the behaviour, but we want to be compassionate to the person who is using so that they are not alone.SA国际影视传媒�

On Monday in Hay River, Mayor Kandis Jameson was moderator at the seventh annual event titled Mind, Body, and Spirit: Nurturing Mental Health and Resilience. KSA国际影视传媒檃tlSA国际影视传媒檕deeche First Nation Chief April Martel provided a Dene perspective, Imam Muzaffar Ahmad provided an Islam perspective, and Diamond Jenness Secondary School principal Lynne Beck provided a social perspective during the discussion.