This week is national Mental Illness Awareness week, and the data on mental health issues is quite alarming. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. The Calgary Counselling Centre (CCC) reports, on average, four to eight teenagers in every Calgary classroom are depressed, and only one or two of those kids are getting help. The statistics for adults are equally bleak. According to CCC, in Alberta alone, 46 per cent of individuals experience depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, almost half of those affected don’t seek any support. Mental illness does not discriminate, and affects men and women of any age, education, economic or social status. Often, when you hear of mental illness, it will be reported that a "stigma" is attached to it. But if you look at the definition of the word, stigma has no place in the discussion of mental illness. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines stigma as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person. If mental illness is blind to age, gender, race or any number of social factors, why do we continue to associate it with a mark of shame? Let’s use this week – and the rest of time, really, – to celebrate those struggling with mental illness as warriors, facing down their own internal battles, and support them as best we can. If we stop making mental health issues something to feel disgraced by, maybe those impacted will finally seek the help they need.
