First established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) has become a national annual campaign. It’s been designed to publicize the reality of mental illnesses – the effects of living with a mental illness, the stigma, how to help and how to get help.
That being said, mental illnesses even today are often misunderstood and feared by people who suffer, as well as by those who don’t. Realistically speaking, unless you’ve suffered yourself, you may never truly understand what it’s like to have any sort of mental illness.Whether or not you understand, there are things you can do to help.
As the campaign promotes, you can help in 1 of 3 very easy ways. Whether you do one or all of these things, your contribution makes a difference in the world of mental health.
1. Talk about it. It’s as simple as that! Share your experiences dealing with mental illness, or talk to a friend who is.
2. Learn about it. Find or host info sessions to get a better understanding of the topic!
3. Be aware of events such as MIAW and participate.
Mental illnesses are feared for reasons beyond my comprehension. They can be just as inhibiting as any physical illness, and should be treated as such. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 20% of Canadians will suffer from a mental illness in their lifetime – a statistic that directly affects us all.
Big or small, your problems matter and your mental health is just as important as your physical health. MIAW may only be between October 4th-10th, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t always take action. The stigma behind mental illness is long overdue for abolishment; join the fight to end it! For more information, visit the website links below.
Get Help!
City of Ottawa/Gatineau Distress Line, 613-238-3311 (24/7)- Emotional support & encouragement- Crisis management & intervention- Suicide risk assessment & prevention- Community resource/referral information
Mental Health Crisis Line Ottawa, 613-722-6914 (24/7)- Crisis intervention- Assessment- Consultation- Links to community support to enable individuals in crisis to remain in their own environment- Advice for family members- In certain cases, follow-up and support to help resolve the crisis in a more efficient manner
uOttawa Counseling Service– Personal counseling- Career counseling
uOttawa Centre for Psychological Services & Research, 613-562-5289 (reception)- Psychological treatment (individual, couple, or family)- Career counseling- Adult assessment