UOIT encouraging everyone to become Mindsight-certified

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week in Canada from May 5 to 11, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) is inviting everyone in the community to become Mindsight-certified.

Dr. Wendy Stanyon, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), developed Mindsight as an easy-to-use training tool designed to help alleviate the stigma around mental illness. The program is open to everyone  and is free. Mindsight takes less than two hours to complete and can be completed one module at a time.

When users first log in to Mindsight, they are greeted with a screen reminiscent of a social media site. At the top left is a photo of the individual who is going to share their personal story, with some facts about that person below. Each learning module is located along the top of the page for easy access.

Lessons are laid out to resemble a Facebook timeline, with each lesson being shared on your timeline by a smiling face with a name — your friend. The design of Mindsight is, in itself, a reminder that anyone suffering from mental illness is not alone.

There are 10 key modules for users to work through:

• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Psychosis
• Self-harm
• Stigma
• Substance abuse
• Suicide
• Trauma

Using fast facts, videos and personal testimonials, users can easily navigate through the learning material. At the end of each module there is a quick, five-question quiz, which users can take as many times as they need. Once each module is complete, users will receive a certificate of completion in the mail.

Important fast facts about mental illness:

• Three million Canadians are living with depression.
• Up to 45 per cent of individuals with an anxiety disorder also suffer from depression at one point or another during their lifetime.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death on post-secondary campuses.
• There are approximately 300,000 Canadians living with schizophrenia.
• Canadians are the highest per-capita users of psychiatric medications in the world.

To become Mindsight-certified, visit mymindsight.uoit.ca.