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This May, the library has focused on health – both physical and mental health.
On Saturday, May 11, we learned that pelvic floor health impacts men and women of all ages, and that everything from diet and posture to physical or emotional trauma can contribute to pelvic floor issues, and what we can do to look after our health (“Pelvic Floor Health: More Than Just Kegels”). We screened the Sundance award-winning documentary, “Unrest”, which illustrates the devastating impact of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a common yet poorly understood and highly stigmatized illness, one that causes a constellation of symptoms including cognitive impairment, fatigue and chronic pain.
And our focus on health continues. If you or a loved one experiences ongoing chronic pain, the library and the University of Victoria’s Self-Management BC invite you to register for the free six-session course on chronic pain self-management, with instructor Louise Rolland, beginning May 24. (To register, call 1.866.902.3767 or 604.940.1273.) Later that same day, we shift our focus back to mental health with a special screening of “Angst”, a 56-minute IndieFlix documentary exploring anxiety, its causes, effects and what can be done about it (May 24, 7 pm). On Friday, May 31, 6 pm, the library once again hosts the LGBTQ2 + Allies youth group, where youth under age 24 are invited to an honest discussion about drug use, followed by training in how to identify an opiate overdose and give a life-saving Naloxone injection.
Whether talking about mental health or physical health, a recurring theme this month has been the importance of talking about it in the first place. Destigmatizing health issues – from urinary incontinence to social anxiety – moves us closer to gaining the knowledge to prevent and treat these issues. And what better place to gain knowledge than at your local public library?
