MIAW - October 2nd to 8th, 2016.
Mental
Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education
campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental
illness.
We all want to be healthy and happy. Mental health is having a balance
of mental, emotional, physical and emotional health. No one can be truly healthy without positive
mental health. Mental health involves how we feel, think, act and interact with
the world around us. Positive mental
health isn’t about avoiding problems or trying to achieve a “perfect” life.
It’s about living to the best of your ability and having the tools to cope with
difficult situations, especially during life’s challenges. Each person’s path
to mental well-being is unique. We all have our own goals, our own challenges,
our own talents and our own supports. But positive mental health is within
everyone’s reach.
Canadian
statistics show that one in five people may have a mental illness in their
lifetime. 10.4% of Canadians have a mental illness at any given time. 18%
of PEOPLE aged 15 – 24 reported having a mental illness or substance abuse
problem. The group with the highest rate
of hospitalization for anxiety disorders is those 65 or older! Personal relationships are affected and there is a
strain on families. Employee
disengagement affects a company’s ‘bottom
line’ because of sick days and sick leaves that are taken by employees that can’t
cope with workplace stress.
But people
with mental health issues, such as Depression or Anxiety Disorders, often
suffer silently. So how would that
affect those statistics? I’d bet they would likely be a lot higher. The stigma of
being judged and/or labeled as “crazy”, “unstable”, or “too sensitive” leads to
hiding not just from others, but from themselves. What they need is to seek help and even DEMAND
it!
A really important step in improving these numbers is
eliminating the stigma that often
accompanies a mental illness diagnosis. Just as we cheer those battling
diseases like cancer, we should offer the same support to those with a mental
health condition. Here is a list of online resources to promote better
understanding and support of this critical issue, and I hope you’ll consider
sharing it with your friends, family, and employer. These resources are a great first step in reaching
out for help.
http://www.aloadoffyourmind.com
– See dropdown, “Hypnosis Helps with..”
www.supportcamh.ca
www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca
