January 31 was #BellLetsTalk Day, but on the other 364 days of the year, we rarely talk. We rarely acknowledge the elephant in the room that is mental health.
For every hashtag, filter, or text message sent through Bell on January 31, Bell promised to donate five cents to mental health initiatives. Since 2010, the annual campaign has raised $86.5 million and sparked conversations about the topic. These efforts are not to be undermined; they are steps towards reducing the stigma. But for an issue that is so layered and pervasive, we need more than a day of corporate-branded hashtags and filters. By now, these posts have resurfaced to the bottom of our news feeds. Stories have become old news. What we need is an ongoing dialogue and concrete means of support. Aside from tweeting “#BellLetsTalk” for a single day, why can’t we say “let’s talk” on any other day of the year?
So let’s talk. Let’s talk about how mental health problems are commonplace, but receiving help for them is not. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in five Canadians experiences mental health issues. Among those who are affected, only one in three reports receiving treatment. This is due to a lack of knowledge or access, or the stigma attached to the topic. If mental health issues were not seen as a weakness, more people would help and get help.
Let’s talk about how mental illness is a real illness. It’s not a lack of discipline or a flaw in character, but a result of biological and environmental factors. In most cases, a single cause or ‘cure’ is unknown. Our brain and experiences are, currently, too complex and abstract to be reduced into a single explanation. Unlike most physical illnesses, there isn’t a virus to stop or a wound to patch up. Like physical illness, mental health issues need to be accepted as valid problems. One does not simply ‘get over it’, much like you can’t just snap out of the flu or a broken bone.
Let’s talk about what we can do beyond talking. We aren’t qualified to treat mental health issues, but we can be educated and understanding. By trying to understand these conditions, we can be kinder to ourselves and to others who may be affected. We can research the signs and resources to get help. We can learn which language is appropriate and which portrayals in the media are accurate and respectful. We can provide a listening, non-judgmental ear to family and friends. We cannot fix their problems but we can offer practical means of support by helping them with errands or school, including them in groups, sending funny memes to make them smile, and checking in regularly to see how they are doing. We can learn to take action but to also step back to respect boundaries and take care of ourselves.
I am no expert in mental health—or in opening up about it—but I believe in shattering the stigma. Let’s talk.
If you or someone you know are in crisis or emergency, please contact someone immediately.