A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the first week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and now that it’s here, I’d like to jump up on my soapbox and explain why this is such an important topic. Mental illness is one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide, with one in five people experiencing a mental or neurological disorder at some time in their lives. Despite these astounding numbers, the general public is not aware that severe mental illnesses are biologically based diseases that can be just as serious as multiple sclerosis or cancer. Instead, they will often look down upon a person with a mental illness, and as a result, prejudice, fear, distrust, and stereotyping are rampant. As a result of this stigma, many people are afraid to seek treatment, for fear of being labelled and/or discriminated against. The purpose of Mental Illness Awareness Week is to help dispel some of the myths around these diseases in order to reduce the stigma and allow more people to lead successful and fulfilling lives.

How You Can Help

1.    Order a Personal Medical Organizer this month and 75% of the purchase price will be donated to St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation in support of their mental health services.

2.    Visit http://letsfacethis.ca, post your picture and message on the Tree of Support.

3.    Attend one of the many Mental Illness Awareness Week events taking place across Canada this week.

4.    Protest prejudice and stereotypes in the media.

5.    If you know someone with a mental illness, make an effort to learn as much as you can about it and to focus on the individual, not the illness.

Based on the statistics, there is a very good chance that you, or someone close to you, will be affected by mental illness, so please don’t think this post was written for other people!