September 27, 2010, Toronto – It is the most costly disability to Canadian employers, racking up $51 billion annually in lost productivity and accounting for more lost work days than any other chronic condition. Most of us who read that statistic will probably think of everything but mental illness as the cause but researchers at the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) have calculated the cost of mental illness to be double the cost of leave for physical illness.

Mental illness is an increasingly pressing issue for Canadians. More than 1 in 5 Canadians will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder in their lifetime, and millions of dollars will be spent on health care and prescription drugs to treat these individuals. The documentary film, Feeding the Brain, explores the urgent need to find treatments for mental illness that do more than merely mask the symptoms.

This film tells a story of the struggles that many face in an effort to treat their mental illness, and presents some of the most promising, albeit less conventional solutions that have been found. Mental illness survivors, researchers and health-care practitioners tell their compelling stories and share the hope of a new paradigm in treating mental illness.

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine will be holding a special screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion, at its annual Open House taking place on Saturday, October 2 from noon to 4:30 p.m.

Panelists:

• Renee Rodenkirchen, documentary filmmaker
• Jonathan Prousky, ND, chief naturopathic medical officer, CCNM and author of “Anxiety” and “Principles and Practice of Naturopathic Clinical Nutrition”
• Lydia Hunziger, Medical Program Manager, Canadian Society for Orthomolecular Medicine

Karamjit Singh, Media & Community Relations Officer
416-498-1255 ext. 263
[email protected]

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