Raising Awareness of Mental Health

“Mental health has lived in the shadows for way too long. People don't talk about it. But we have to open up, be sympathetic, understanding and look at the reality of this illness - it's everywhere."
~ Valerie Pringle, 2011 Breakfast of Champions feature speaker

In our society there is great stigma often associated with mental illness. So much so, that many living with mental illness are afraid to share their condition with others for fear of ridicule or judgment.

One of the best ways to reduce stigma and remove misconceptions is to educate yourself and understand the facts about mental illness:

Mental illness facts and statistics

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death, for emerging adults ages 15-24. Claiming 500 young Canadians every year.
• One in 4 youth going through their teens will suffer a diagnosable mental health problem. Most go undiagnosed and less than 30 per cent ever ask for help.
• Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 24 report a mental disorder, substance abuse or learning disability.
• Between 15 and 20 per cent of the Canadian adolescent population suffers from a mental disorder at one time or another.
• Mental illness is a disease like any other physical disease and is not a result of personal weakness. Mental illness is a result of complex interactions between psychological, biological, genetic and social factors.
• Depression is 4 to 5 times higher in people between ages 18-44.
• Panic disorders usually begin before the individual is 20-30 years old.
• Eating disorders usually develop in people between ages 14-25.
• People between the ages of 16 and 25 are at higher risk for a psychotic episode.

Statistics are courtesy of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario