Slash the Stigma and Talk About It
Caitlin Jarvie // December 5, 2011
You can’t see mental illness. You can’t touch it, hear it, smell it, or taste it. Does that mean it doesn’t exist? No. Every day, thousands of people in Canada are living their lives and coping with mental illness. Mental illness affects one in five Canadians, and the onset often occurs in adolescence and early adulthood.
Wait… that’s us
Next time you’re sitting in a lecture, take a look around you. Someone in the room could be living with mental illness or knows someone who is. University can be a stressful time for most students with the pressure of meeting deadlines for papers and studying for finals, all while trying to fit in and find ourselves. Imagine going through all of that while coping with mental illness.
Laing House is here to help. With a mission to empower youth ages 16-29 living with mental illness, it is the first and only organization of its kind in Canada. Laing House enables youth living with a diagnosis of mood disorder, psychosis and/or anxiety disorder to get the support they need to rebuild their lives through an award winning peer support model.
2011 marks Laing House’s tenth year, helping hundreds of youth on their path to recovery. Currently over 170 active members utilize Laing House and take part in the programming available. Programs are designed based on the interests and needs of Laing House members, and range from healthy living and employment to creative arts and music. Through these programs youth living with mental illness can recognize and develop their own strengths, talents, and resources in a welcoming, respectful, and collaborative atmosphere. At Laing House a peer support network is formed, where members learn to be there for one another in everyday life, and in return they will have someone there for them.
You may be thinking, “this doesn’t affect me” – but it does. By reading this article and passing it on to a friend or colleague, you are raising awareness of mental illness and you are making a difference. The person you pass this on to could be living with a mental illness or know a friend or family member who is. You can help them realize they are not alone.
The stigma surrounding mental illness must be broken. Many Canadians do not seek help with their mental illness because of fear or judgement, but like the rest of us, they need support.
Call Laing House at (902) 425-9018 to talk
www.lainghouse.org
