The Mental Health Stigma

For years, society has viewed mental health as a taboo subject.  Growing up learning not to talk about how we are feeling, or how we are struggling.  Go back even further in time and you would just be locked up and discarded.  Viewed as not “normal’, treated inhumanely.  As of recent, talking about mental health has become the new norm.  So the we are now beginning to remove the mental health stigma. Unfortunately, accessing those services can be not only frustrating, but even more harming to ones health.  In Vancouver, the waitlist for such services can be months.  In turn, most give up and just accept the fact of suffering.  Mental health services can be found through the link provided.  Alternatively, immediate access can be obtained Here.

You are not alone!

According to CMHA, 1 in 5 Canadians suffer from some form of mental health.  By the time they are 40, 50% of the population will have experienced some form of mental health related illness.  So in fact, having a some form of depression, anxiety, stress, is not only common, but it is also treatable.  Seeking out some sort of counseling may in fact be the solution to most psychological issues.  In turn, a psychiatric approach may be needed for issues such as bi-polar, schizophrenia, ocd, ect.  And for some, a combination of both can greatly improve ones ability to function in society.