Ottawa- At the beginning of Mental Illness Awareness Week, an opportunity for us all to learn about mental illness, how it affects people, understand what help is available for those who struggle, and actively engage to do what we can do to reduce stigma.
This year’s Mental Illness Awareness theme is a reminder that we must continue to work together to promote “Awareness, Access and Parity for Mental Health and Substance Use Care in Canada”. For our government, this means taking a compassionate approach that puts people first and focusing on providing a continuum of care that includes a range of support services and resources that can help address mental health challenges and substance use.
Mental health must be treated as a full and equal part of our health care system so that people can access the care they need, when and where they need it. One in three people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness does not discriminate – it affects people of all ages, education and income levels, and cultures. Many mental illnesses manifest before adulthood, impacting our children and youth, and their families. As we work to address mental illness, listening to the voices of people with lived and living experience – whether that is someone living with mental illness or a caregiver – is important to develop solutions that will meet their needs.
If you need mental health support, you can access the Wellness Together Canada Portal and its companion app PocketWell for free 24/7 educational content, self-guided therapy, moderated peer-to-peer support, and one-to-one counselling with qualified health professionals to support with mental health and substance use. We must also act to remove barriers to care and services, including stigma. Negative and often unfair beliefs related to mental illness can lead to feelings of judgement and prevent some people from seeking help. We all need to understand how our language, and our actions can perpetuate stigma.
People are not defined by their mental illness. Nor should anyone live in the shadows because of mental illness. It’s important to listen with compassion and empathy so we can work together towards a stronger, healthier Canada. There is much more work to be done in supporting the mental health and well-being of people in Canada and we are committed to doing just that. – Mark Holland and Ya’ara Saks