Bell Let鈥檚 Talk Day is a day dedicated to talking about mental health.
Many notable Canadians are discussing their own journeys to promote the idea of bringing mental health discussion out into the open, including comedians Mary Walsh and Howie Mandel, singer Jann Arden and Olympic athlete Clara Hughes.
According to a press release on the Bell Let鈥檚 Talk program, five cents from each text, mobile call and long distance call by Bell customers on Jan. 31 was donated to mental health programs across the country. As well, tweets using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, use of the Bell Let鈥檚 Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter, and views of the Bell Let鈥檚 Talk video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat all generated funds.
In the end, Bell Let鈥檚 Talk raised nearly $7 million to help support mental health programs.
While this is a wonderful initiative to address mental health concerns, there is always more that we can do to promote mental health awareness all year round.
On my Facebook feed, I shared a video of the song, 鈥淵ou Will Be Found,鈥� from the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen.
I find this song so special. Characters in the music video see someone going through a stressful situation, specifically young people being bullied at school, and they step up and act.
Helping can be as simple as that, just making sure people who are being bullied know that someone cares and that they are not alone.
The lyrics are also poignant:
鈥淓ven when the dark comes crashin鈥� through,
When you need someone to carry you,
When you鈥檙e broken on the ground,
You will be found.鈥�
We all can act when we see someone in need just by making sure people know that they have someone in their corner.
Niamh Menz with the Humboldt and District Community Services works with employers to bring people with disabilities into the workforce. She sees this concept in use frequently as she goes into workplaces with her clients.
Recognizing signs of mental illness interruption, where someone鈥檚 daily life is interrupted by things like anxiety or depression, is the first step in actively addressing mental health issues. Addressing these interruptions without fear or judgement is the next important step, she says.
鈥淲e need to not judge and not advise. Just be there as a support for that person for whatever they need at that time. Most people just need an ear and they just need to be heard.鈥�
James Brayshaw offers mental health first aid to companies and individuals across the province through Saskatchewan Mental Health Training and Support Teams based out of Saskatoon.
He and his team work with people to give them the tools they need to address mental health issues when they see it.
Talking to family and friends about mental health is the best way to get involved in the conversation, he says.
鈥淚t鈥檚 when we talk to other people about that we begin to develop a better understanding, especially those who may be suffering with some mental health condition. We can have that empathetic response that will inspire us to find other ways to get involved.鈥�
Talking about the issue, whether through social media or in everyday conversation, is a great first step in addressing mental health.
Now let us take it a step further and make sure that everyone knows that they are not alone, that we are all here to listen, and that everyone needs a helping hand sometimes.
