I'm writing this today as it is "Let's Talk Day" with Bell Canada. Bell will contribute $.05 for every text message and long distance call sent to mental health initiatives.
As many of you know I have suffered from depression/mental health issues for several years now & I have always talked about it openly here on my blog. Being depressed isn't something I am ashamed of, but I know there are a lot of people out there that are, due to the stigma society has put on mental health issues. By writing about my experiences I hope people will not feel alone & will open up and discuss their mental health issues. It is time that we, people suffering with mental health issues, stand up to society and break this stigma of a disease that has remained silent for too long.
Depression, anxiety, mood disorders are serious illnesses and should never be taken lightly by anyone. I have come by many people in my journey with depression that are either uneducated or uninformed on what having a mental health problem really means. I have had people in my life that try to tell me "Snap out of it", don't you think if it was that easy I would choose to just "snap out of it".
When I have come across these people in my life I have tried to educate them on what it means to be suffering from depression. The problem with these kind of people is they choose to remain ignorant about the topic & don't want anything to do with the information you provide them. Obviously, these people are no longer in my life.
It is because of the stigma attached to mental health issues that causes people like this to say these kind of things. We need to educate society & share our stories to stop this misconception of what it means to be depressed.
Here are some great resources for those suffering from depression and for those that have people in their life suffering from some kind of mental health issues. Share these with your friends & family to help bring awareness to this very important issue:
Free Emotional Wellness Self-Assessment
Mental Health Services in Alberta
Understanding Mental Illness
Mental Health Test Your Knowledge
My Mental Health
Measure Your Mental Health Knowledge
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