Mental illness refers to various disorders in which a person’s emotions, behaviors and/or thoughts are altered in such a way that lowered daily functioning and distress occurs (Government of Canada, 2006, p. 2). The cause of mental illness is largely unknown, but many factors are involved, such as: genetics, income, social and physical environments, work status, and coping skills (Government of Canada, 2006, p. 43).
Mental illness is likely to affect around 1 in 5 Canadian adults, a figure that translates to approximately 4.5 million people (Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta, 2016). Although the prevalence of mental illness is high, only 1 in 3 Canadians receive mental health services when they need them (Canadian Nurse, 2011).
The key to ending mental illness stigma and increasing access to services lies in awareness. Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is a Canadian public education campaign run by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health that takes place annually from October 2nd to 8th (Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH), 2016). The overarching goal of the campaign is to assist Canadians in discovering and understanding the reality of mental illness (CAMIMH, 2016). One of the main MIAW health initiatives is the Faces of Mental Health campaign, where honest stories of Canadians in recovery from mental illness are shared with thousands of people and hundreds of organizations across Canada to end stigma and increase awareness (CAMIMH, 2016).
To learn more about Mental Illness Awareness Week and get involved in the discourse go to http://www.camimh.ca/
To learn more about the Faces of Mental Health campaign and read their stories go to http://www.camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week/faces-of-mental-illness/
References
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. (2016). About mental illness awareness week. Retrieved from http://www.camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week/about-miaw/
Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta. (2016). Mental illness in Canada. Retrieved from http://alberta.cmha.ca/mental_health/statistics/#.V_L8m_ArLIV
Canadian Nurse. (2011). Oct. 2-8 is mental illness awareness week. Retrieved from https://canadian-nurse.com/en/articles/issues/2011/september-2011/oct-2-8-is-mental-illness-awareness-week
Government of Canada. (2006). The human face of mental health and mental illness in Canada. Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/human-humain06/pdf/human_face_e.pdf