photo courtesy of letstalk.bell.ca
I love this quote from Howie Mandel. It pretty much sums up societies general ignorance of mental health issues.
“If we cared about our mental health like we care about our dental health, we would be okay.”
Today, Wednesday January 27th, 2016 is Bell Let’s Talk day. It has a simple message to share in the hopes of raising money to help bring about an awareness of mental health much like the awareness many other illnesses have. All you have to do today to participate is to retweet a tweet that goes something like this:
Today, for every tweet using
#BellLetsTalk, Bell donates 5¢ more to#MentalHealth initiatives: http://ow.ly/I3mvY
Did you know that since 2010 Bell has committed over $100 Million to mental health initiatives? Their multi year program is designed to support a huge range of mental health organizations, large or small, from coast to coast. Bell Let’s Talk wants to help end the stigma that surrounds Mental Health issues. The idea that just because it’s “all in you head” doesn’t mean it is not real, not a significant disease worthy of someone’s attention.
The Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund is part of the Bell Let’s Talk Mental Health Initiative. Through the Community Fund, Bell will provide grants in the range of $5,000 to $25,000 to organizations in Canada focused on improving access to programs and services that support and help improve the mental health and well-being of people living with mental health issues. Isn’t that wonderful?
(This is one of the commercials playing on the air to help promote Mental Health Awareness. It gets me every time.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhdCWifI7M0
When it comes to understanding Mental Health, there is a lot of false information swirling around. This false information makes sharing your own struggles with your friends and family that much harder for fear of judgement and rejection. Here are some cold hard facts to give you an idea of what I mean.
- At this very moment, some 3 million Canadians are suffering from depression. CMHA
- Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year-olds and 16% among 25-44 year-olds. CMHA
- Only 49% of Canadians said they would socialize with a friend who has a serious mental illness. Canadian Medical Association
- In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them. CMHA
- Two-thirds of homeless people using urban shelters suffer from some form of mental illness. Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health
- Adults with severe mental health problems and illnesses die up to 25 years earlier than adults in the general population. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
When you read the numbers in black and white it becomes a little more real and a lot more shocking. The work the Bell Let’s Talk day is funding is of vital importance to the overall health of our future; yours and mine. Every single person out there has been affected by Mental Health issues in some form, even if you don’t know it. It’s there, lurking in the shadows, waiting. Let’s get it out of the dark and into the bright lights of acceptance and awareness. Tweet your heart out today or share a Facebook image. Make your time on social media work for your community today. Visit the Bell Let’s Talk site for more ways to show your support.
Will you be re-tweeting today?
FT&PD
Suz
**Have a peek if you have the time, at this little poem I wrote in honour of #BellLetsTalk.
**Please note this is not a sponsored post. Mental Health issues are near and dear to my heart and I want everyone to help with the #BellLetsTalk initiative.
I have retweeted about Bell’s #Let’sTalk Day as much as I could. I believe that metal health issues should be discussed and not shunned.
Every little bit helps Lian. At last I heard they raised over 6 million so we can all be happy of the job we did.
I am so proud of Bell for this initiative! I did help with #BellLetsTalk, I think bringing mental health to the table will support people’s decision to open up. Great post, awesome cause. Thank you!
That’s wonderful that you helped out Dawn. Every little bit helps! At last I heard they had raised over 6 million!!
Such a great day yesterday, loved seeing all the tweets and shares and the many stories all over social media. Glad we are breaking down the walls and tossing the stigma aside more and more!
I shared on Facebook and Twitter a whole bunch yesterday! I think it is so important, but not only on 1 day per year, we all need to talk about it every day!
I did my share of tweeting and re-tweeting.
I’m not a huge fan of Bell, but this was for a great cause and I did my share of sharing, texting and tweeting!!
Thanks for sharing this! Such an important cause, mental health is so important, I hope people talk about it not just for one day!
This was such a great cause !
This is such a great cause and I’ve read that they collected a record amount this year, an incredible success, well done Bell and all who participated. 🙂
I did my part,this is such a wonderful cause.
I tweeted about it. I have two people in my family that struggle at times with just copping with life. It is hard for them and I know it… it is little that we can do but we try.
Trust me, it may seem little, but every bit of awareness is important. Thank you for that. 🙂
so many people suffer from this illness .:(
Such an easy way to donate to a great cause! I beliieve mental health shouldnt be hidden away, it should be talked about and more funding needs to be given to it.
I have suffered in quiet shame from bipolar and SADS for over 20 years…it is fantastic that Bell is making such an effort to make people realize the truth and consequences
I am so very sorry that you have had to endure this Ronald. It breaks my heart when I hear about what people have endured. It is wonderful that slowly, but surely, the stigma of mental health issues is being accepted and talked about in mainstream society. Good luck to you.
When it comes to understanding Mental Health most of us don’t understand all the ins and outs but i think we all suffer from Mental Health issues sometime in our lives,some more severe than others.