Frequently Asked Questions
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On Mental Health and Bullying
Q: What is a mental disorder?
A: Mental disorders have no specific definition, but are usually defined as being mental phenomena that greatly impair the person, place the person in distress (i.e. psychological pain), or do both.
Q: What is bullying?
A: Bullying is a set of behaviours that could be reasonably expected to intimidate or abuse another person. This can either by physical or psychological, the latter being much more common.
Q: Isn't bullying just a rite of passage?
A: It is not a rite of passage unless you make it one. The fact is, 29% of people who are bullied seriously consider killing themselves. That's over 1 in 4.
Q: What is suicide?
A: Suicide is defined as a person intentionally ending their own life. Thoughts of it generally occur during times of extreme sadness and depression. Sometimes, people see life as being too painful and look to death as a way out. However, there is always hope; click here to see a list of supports and resources.
Q: I'm thinking about hurting myself.
A: Please know one thing: you are not alone. There are people out there willing to help you pull through, and life is worth living. Trust us, there is still hope. Click here to see a list of resources.
On Melanoma and Tanning Beds
Q: Are tanning salons dangerous to human health?
A: Yes; using tanning salons regularly can increase one's risk of developing melanoma and a variety of other skin abnormalities greatly.
Q: Why is melanoma so much more dangerous than other skin cancers?
A: Because it has a much greater change of spreading (metastasizing) to other parts of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, liver, and pancreas, to name a few.
Q: Can't melanoma just be surgically removed and I'll be fine?
A: Yes and no. If melanoma is caught very, very early in its progression and cut out immediately, the chance of survival is very high, which is why monthly skin checks are very important. However, if regional metastasis (spreading) to surrounding tissues such as sentinel lymph nodes occurs, then the prognosis is much worse. If metastasis to distant areas in the body (e.g. brain, liver) occurs, survival is greatly reduced.
Q: Are young people at higher risk for melanoma?
A: Yes, especially if they had bad sunburns as children. However, this does not mean that older individuals are not at risk for melanoma.
Q: It's the UV radiation that causes melanoma, so wouldn't Zoom! Whitening or other UV-related products from my dentist be bad?
A: No, because dentists are very careful to apply a gel-like substance to all surrounding tissue before applying the UV radiation, and this substance is virtually 100% protective. If you have any concerns about ultraviolet light used in dental procedures, please talk to your dentist to make an informed decision.
Q: What is a mental disorder?
A: Mental disorders have no specific definition, but are usually defined as being mental phenomena that greatly impair the person, place the person in distress (i.e. psychological pain), or do both.
Q: What is bullying?
A: Bullying is a set of behaviours that could be reasonably expected to intimidate or abuse another person. This can either by physical or psychological, the latter being much more common.
Q: Isn't bullying just a rite of passage?
A: It is not a rite of passage unless you make it one. The fact is, 29% of people who are bullied seriously consider killing themselves. That's over 1 in 4.
Q: What is suicide?
A: Suicide is defined as a person intentionally ending their own life. Thoughts of it generally occur during times of extreme sadness and depression. Sometimes, people see life as being too painful and look to death as a way out. However, there is always hope; click here to see a list of supports and resources.
Q: I'm thinking about hurting myself.
A: Please know one thing: you are not alone. There are people out there willing to help you pull through, and life is worth living. Trust us, there is still hope. Click here to see a list of resources.
On Melanoma and Tanning Beds
Q: Are tanning salons dangerous to human health?
A: Yes; using tanning salons regularly can increase one's risk of developing melanoma and a variety of other skin abnormalities greatly.
Q: Why is melanoma so much more dangerous than other skin cancers?
A: Because it has a much greater change of spreading (metastasizing) to other parts of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, liver, and pancreas, to name a few.
Q: Can't melanoma just be surgically removed and I'll be fine?
A: Yes and no. If melanoma is caught very, very early in its progression and cut out immediately, the chance of survival is very high, which is why monthly skin checks are very important. However, if regional metastasis (spreading) to surrounding tissues such as sentinel lymph nodes occurs, then the prognosis is much worse. If metastasis to distant areas in the body (e.g. brain, liver) occurs, survival is greatly reduced.
Q: Are young people at higher risk for melanoma?
A: Yes, especially if they had bad sunburns as children. However, this does not mean that older individuals are not at risk for melanoma.
Q: It's the UV radiation that causes melanoma, so wouldn't Zoom! Whitening or other UV-related products from my dentist be bad?
A: No, because dentists are very careful to apply a gel-like substance to all surrounding tissue before applying the UV radiation, and this substance is virtually 100% protective. If you have any concerns about ultraviolet light used in dental procedures, please talk to your dentist to make an informed decision.
On iHealthSS Inc.
Q: What type of organization is iHealthSS?
A: We are a federal not-for-profit corporation with charitable status.
Q: Can iHealthSS come and present at my school?
A: Absolutely; please contact the president, Noel Garber, at garberna@mcmaster.ca
Q: I really support your cause and want to donate. How can I help?
A: We appreciate your support! You can donate quickly and easily using our Paypal button at the end of this page.
Q: I have further questions not answered on this page. How can I contact you?
A: Please refer to the Contact Us tab.
A: We are a federal not-for-profit corporation with charitable status.
Q: Can iHealthSS come and present at my school?
A: Absolutely; please contact the president, Noel Garber, at garberna@mcmaster.ca
Q: I really support your cause and want to donate. How can I help?
A: We appreciate your support! You can donate quickly and easily using our Paypal button at the end of this page.
Q: I have further questions not answered on this page. How can I contact you?
A: Please refer to the Contact Us tab.
