Just smiling or saying hi can go a long way in making someone’s day.

That’s according to Michelle Buglas, a manager with the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Mental Health and Addiction Services.

She says a study showed that people who survived a suicide attempt said a simple smile from a stranger would have prevented them from making that attempt. She adds making simple gestures such as smiling and saying hi while at work and when you’re out and about can make a big impact in someone’s day.

Buglas says if your mental health has gotten to a point where you feel you need professional help, there is help available. She says one way to seek help is by calling the 8-1-1 healthline.

Buglas says loneliness can be sparked by external things like moving to a new community or not being familiar with an environment, although she says a lot of the time a sense of loneliness comes from the inside-out rather than from the outside-in.

Buglas says loneliness is more of an internal feeling than due to external circumstances.

“There’s an idea that you can be in a crowd full of people and feel lonely and you can be by yourself and not be lonely at all.”

More information about mental health services that are available in Saskatchewan can be found by clicking here.

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