It is time to put those perpetually texting fingers to good use. Today, join the conversation to raise awareness about mental health in Canada. In case you’ve somehow missed Bell Canada’s widespread campaign with Olympian Clara Hughes front and centre, today is the fourth annual Bell Let’s Talk Day. As in the past, Bell will donate 5 cents in support of mental health for every long-distance call and every text message sent on the Bell network and for every tweet that includes the #BellLetsTalk hashtag. Furthermore, with every Facebook share of the Bell Let’s Talk image, another 5 cents will be raised. The day aims to shed light on the overlooked issue of mental illness (yes, still) and its surrounding stigma that has existed for years.
Launched in 2010, the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative is built around 4 action pillars: anti-stigma, care and access, research, and workplace best practices. Bell has now committed $62,043,289.30 to Canadian mental health based on its original $50-million donation, plus the results of the last three Bell Let’s Talk Days: $3,303,961.80 in 2011; $3,926,014.20 in 2012; and $4,813,313.30 in 2013. The money will help fund leading mental health hospitals and grassroots community mental health organizations across the country, drive new workplace initiatives and support new research. Influential figures joining Hughes this year are Bell Let’s Talk partners like TV personality Seamus O’Regan, comedians Michel Mpambara and Kevin Breel, musicians Stefie Shock, Matthew Good and Robb Nash, and athletes Shea Emry, Joé Juneau, and Andy O’Brien.
Bell Let’s Talk Day is designed to increase awareness, acceptance and action for those who struggle with mental illness by encouraging a public dialogue about mental health – the first step in breaking down its stigma. “We know from studies in the United States that people are more knowledgeable than ever before about mental illnesses. They are better at identifying them and knowing that they should seek professional care,” said Dr. Heather Stuart, Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen’s University. “Attitudes are also improving somewhat, but social distance (the level of social interaction we want to have) has stayed the same or in some cases gotten worse. So, I would say that stigma is not improving. We need to have intervention programs that target behavioural change (rather than knowledge or attitudes) and these need to be carefully focused to the needs of specific target groups.” It could be because of this stigma that people don’t seek help for mental illnesses the same way they would for physical illness.
Stigma or not, it is safe to say we all know someone who suffers from some sort of mental illness, whether it is initially obvious or not. Mental illness affects one in five Canadians at some point in their lives. For some Canadians, the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed is very real. Half a million Canadians miss work each day due to a mental health related factor. Sometimes, it’s too much to take. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among those 15-34 in Canada.
Given these statistics, it is clearly evident that change is needed. “Workplaces are important for anti-stigma interventions, and through corporate policies that promote psychological safety, workplaces can raise awareness of the importance of worker mental health and implement policies and processes designed to promote a mentally healthy workforce,” said Dr. Stewart. “This would include reviewing current policies with a mental health view to ensure that they are supportive of people with mental health issues and don’t create environments that create high levels of stress. Workplace supervisors and leaders also need to gain skills and competencies in identifying and managing employees with mental health-related problems.”
Let’s be honest, fast-paced young professional life is not always easy and sometimes we may feel that our job will quite literally be the death of us. We asked Dr. Ian Dawe, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the Physician-in-Chief at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, a few questions when it comes to mental health and young professionals.
What mental health issues seem to affect hard-working young professionals the most?
Most Canadians have difficulty finding time for all their roles and responsibilities. In fact, 58% of Canadians report “overload” as a result of the pressures associated with work, home and family, friends, physical health, volunteer and community service.
“I’m over-worked and overwhelmed, but my boss sets the deadlines, and there’s nothing I can do.”
“The demands don’t end at 5pm – on top of work, I have to make time for all my other responsibilities, too. I don’t remember the last time I did anything just for me.”
“I feel like I’m rushing all the time. I’m always hurrying to get the next thing done – sometimes I make mistakes that take even longer to fix! It feels like an endless cycle.”
Many feel that there’s nothing they can do to bring their lives back into balance. Some of the signs of work/life imbalance include feeling overwhelmed, like you’ve lost control of your life, and feeling guilty that you’re neglecting areas of your life and difficulty concentrating.
In your opinion, when a young professional hits rock bottom with something like a suicide attempt, is it possible to become completely rehabilitated in time, or do you think that the lingering effects will always be a struggle in some capacity?
Full recovery is not just a possibility for a person, it is likely. Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for more than 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities. Of course, the longer a depression or anxiety disorder goes untreated, the more challenging it can be to manage it quickly. But the goal of treatment is the full resolution of symptoms. For those that don’t respond to treatment fully, workplace accommodation programs are becoming quite sophisticated these days to help a person return to work even before they have fully recovered and to support them in their continued journey, whether it is in modified duties or alternative hours.
What advice do you have for young professionals who have a friend or coworker who they think may be experiencing mental health issues?
The Canadian Medical Association reported this year that only 49% of Canadians said they would socialize with a friend who has a serious mental illness. 27% of Canadians are actually fearful of being around people who suffer from serious mental illness. The biggest piece of advice is to not be afraid. The stigma and silence surrounding suffering with mental illness is immense; it is no wonder that 2 in 3 people suffer in silence fearing judgment and rejection. Do not be afraid to talk to them. Explore the situation;
– Tell your friend or co-worker that she/he does not seem to be himself lately, and specifically state what you see. “You don’t look as well as you usually do. You seem upset and distracted. Are you feeling okay?”
– Resist making any judgments or conclusions about what is going on. Instead, invite your coworker to talk about what he or she is experiencing. When he/she is done, repeat what you heard and ask him/her if that is correct.
– Resist giving them advice about what to do. Instead, continue to listen and ask what you can do to help. There are two reasons for this approach. The first is that you avoid giving the wrong advice or unwanted advice – both of which could have unintended consequences. The second is that you are able to help your friend/co-worker focus on what it is she/he needs. When any of us are consumed by negative or fearful thoughts, we can lose sight of what we need to move beyond them.
– Remember that you are not a therapist. Refer instead to appropriate resources and just continue to be a concerned friend/co-worker who is there for support. Do not allow your days to become filled up with discussion about problems. Help them to focus on solutions for their issues. It is honourable that you want to help. Remember, however, to protect your own health and well-being at the same time.
Thankfully, the mental health cause has started to gain momentum and Bell has attracted the support of many corporations and other organizations that have stepped up to join the conversation by providing a variety of platforms for the Bell Let’s Talk message – newspaper, radio, TV, online advertising, billboards, rink boards at major sports arenas and promotional events, among others.
Start the conversation yourself today and learn more here.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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