Help! The inner cries, of persons who suffer with mental health concerns, need to reach our ears and hearts. From the shadows of secrecy, mental illness must move out into the light of our conscious awareness. The statistics are startling! One in five Canadians will be afflicted with a mental illness at some point in their lifetime. The painful stigma, that has been associated with persons who struggle psychologically, needs to be lifted. Advocates of mental health such as Clara Hughes, Margaret Trudeau and Howie Mandel need to be heeded. Rising out of their personal harrowing experiences, they have been blessed with the courage and passion to speak out. Their prophetic voices unite with so many who have no voice, offering them new hope and assurance that they are not alone.
A month or so ago, I attended an event sponsored by the St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, at which Heather Hiscox, CBC Host, was in candid conversation with Howie Mandel. Mr. Mandel believes that as human beings, at certain stressful times, each of us has mental health issues which result in difficulty in coping with life. We need to talk about this reality; thereby, counteracting the shame that has been placed on persons who bear this burden in silence.
When a person’s mental wellbeing is jeopardized, she or he may be pushed to the margins of society due to misunderstanding and lack of acceptance. Persons who do not seek necessary help soon enough, due to fear of ridicule and rejection, may end up in a crisis situation. They may become suicidal and filled with despair, resulting in admittance to hospital through an emergency department. Perhaps this trauma could be avoided, if persons felt that they could openly talk about the state of their mental health and when needed consult their family physician and seek out counselling.
Mental health is everyone’s concern. Let’s get talking!
What are you and I willing to do to advocate for mental health so that persons can freely seek out the necessary support and treatment?
Kathleen O’Keefe, CSJ