Today marks the start of Mental Illness Awareness Week. Why is this important? Because:
- In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
- Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
- By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
- Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
- Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.
- Mental illnesses can be treated effectively.
These facts were obtained from the Canadian Mental Health Association website. Read more facts here: https://cmha.ca/fast-facts-about-mental-illness
The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is a non-profit organization that provides mental health education to the public. This year, they are running a Faces of Mental Illness Campaign which features an interactive map of Canada, and the opportunity to share your story. To find out more, visit https://www.camimh.ca/
Let’s work towards ending the stigma of mental illness.
Photo credit: Me! This meme was created through Canva.
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