Let's Talk About Mental Illness

Photo © 2013 Tim D. McCann

One in five Canadians will suffer some form of mental illness during their lifetime. Nevertheless, fighting the stigma of mental illness is an ongoing battle in which victory is long overdue.  Research shows that:

• over 50% of people living with mental disorders said they were embarrassed by their health problems and had experienced discrimination;

• almost 50% of Canadians thought mental health was an excuse for poor behavior;

• less than one-third of Canadians would continue to be friends with someone with an alcohol-use problem;

• less than one-quarter of Canadians would continue to be friends with someone with a drug-use problem.

 (Statistics from the Canadian Mental Health Association Fact Sheet at http://letstalk.bell.ca/pdf/fact-sheets/cmha/stigma.pdf))

We can help those affected by mental illness simply by debunking the myths associated with it. For example, many adolescents (and adults) think that depression is just part of “growing up” and will disappear on its own, but we need to appreciate instead that depression may be a life-long challenge. The Kids Help Phone has published a fact sheet with tips for youths who are suffering from depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and other mental health issues, and advice on how to separate the myths from reality. This fact sheet is available at http://letstalk.bell.ca/pdf//tip-sheets/tips-for-youth.pdf.  The telephone number for the helpline in Canada is 1-800-668-6868. 

One of the underlying causes of depression and suicide in adolescents is bullying.  This topic is finally receiving national attention, and there are numerous resources available.  The Kids Help Phone website at http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/InfoBooth/Bullying.aspx?gclid=CI7K2ciVpbUCFfBDMgodKV8AyA
has extensive information on this subject and also has a bullying forum where teens can post questions.  In addition, many websites now provide resources to combat bullying, including incident reporting for schools.  See, for example, http://www.stopabully.ca/bullying-resources.

On February 12, 2013, Bell Canada is sponsoring its third annual “Let's Talk” Day. The four pillars of the Let's Talk initiative are: workplace mental health; research; community care and access; and anti-stigma.  To download a complete copy of the Let's Talk toolkit, please visit http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/toolkit.

In Canada, there are also numerous other Internet and local resources for those of all ages seeking help. 
For further information, visit the Canadian Mental Health Association website at http://www.cmha.ca/.

Mental health is a global concern.  Please check your Internet and local resources if you live outside Canada.  One of the most alarming statistics I encountered when I began  my research was the following: around the world, someone commits suicide every 40 seconds (Source:
http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/fact_sheets.asp?cID=3965).

Let's help put a human face on this suffering and end the silence.