Dramatic transformations thanks to CAMH

Breakthrough

Winter 2005

Paulette Walker

Paulette Walker and Patricia Newman each have very different stories, but thanks to their own perseverance and to CAMH, both women have been able to dramatically transform their lives.

Both are featured in CAMH's Transforming Lives awareness marketing campaign. The ads, seen in newspapers, magazines and posters, as well as radio and television spots, celebrate people who have been able to face the challenges of living with a mental illness and/or addiction. Many have done so with the help of the programs available at CAMH.

Paulette's involvement with CAMH began with her first drug charge and resulting enrolment in the Drug Treatment Court (DTC) program. Through this program and her own willpower, she was able to overcome a 20-year addiction to crack cocaine that started in early adulthood in her native Jamaica.

Paulette had experienced much success in Jamaica as a talented make-up artist with her own salon and later as host of her own radio show. Her success as a make-up artist continued when she moved to Canada, but unfortunately, so did her addiction to cocaine - in fact it became much worse. Eventually her addiction led to homelessness, the loss of contact with her family, loss of custody of her children, violence and abuse at the hands of others, unemployment and a chronic sense of hopelessness. At one point, she ended up at a crack house where she stayed for two weeks, leaving her 12 year old son with her roommate.

Released from custody - thanks to the Drug Treatment Court and CAMH - into a recovery home for women, Paulette was full of regret, shame and fear, but she was also full of determination. She quit using drugs in the first week of the program and has remained abstinent ever since.

Patricia Newman

Patricia Newman's story is very different, but she too was helped by the caring of the health care professionals at CAMH and her own determination. For Patricia, it was debilitating depression that had been unsuccessfully treated that led her to CAMH. At the time she was on long-term disability from her elementary school teaching position with little hope of ever returning to work. Patricia was treated at CAMH's Mood Disorders Clinic where her depression was eventually brought into remission. Patricia beat the odds and successfully returned to her teaching career.

In 2003 Patricia participated in the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program, which is designed to help people who have had multiple episodes of depression to reduce the risk of relapse. She continues to practice the skills she learned in the MBCT group.

Paulette, on the other hand, found a new line of work following her involvement with CAMH. During her six months at the recovery home for women, Paulette took a food services course. Eventually, she accepted a full-time position in the cafeteria at CAMH, where, she is known not only for making legendary soup, but also for her infectious charm and friendliness.

Paulette continues to be an active member of the Drug Treatment Court Alumni, volunteering at the courthouse by greeting clients and sharing her wisdom. She wants everyone to know that "every second of every day is a chance to turn it all around - if I can do it, so can you." In addition, Paulette is continuing her education at George Brown College.

Patricia points out that there is a greater awareness of the symptoms of depression and less reluctance to seek treatment for an initial episode. However, it is often difficult for family and friends to understand that for some people depression is a chronic illness that needs to be managed with an ongoing comprehensive treatment plan.

"Recurrent major depression is part of my life, but now I deal with it so much more effectively, through medication, psychotherapy, exercise, yoga, changing my priorities and trying to live in the present moment as much as possible. I would never have dreamed 10 years ago that I would feel as well as I do today, after suffering from severe depression for so many years. This is the hopeful message that I would like to share with clients."

Paulette and Patricia are both examples of how people can transform their lives through their own determination and the help of CAMH.

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