User blog:MightyUke416/Bell: Let's Talk Day



Hey people,

Here in Canada, January 30, 2019 has been designated as "Bell: Let's Talk" day, sponsored by BellMedia Corporation. It is a day dedicated to talking about mental health and the stigma surrounding it. Mental health affects each and every one of us, but there is still this stigma surrounding it because it is a taboo topic. From my experience, people seem to be afraid of being looked at or treated differently for opening up about it. In this digital age with social media being the norm, there is all this pressure in society to be "perfect," and people don't know who to trust or who they can open up to. However, this is a day that is dedicated to showing us that we are not alone in our struggles and that each and every one of you matter.

Bell: Let's Talk was founded in 2010 with the goal of raising awareness for mental health and money for mental health initiatives, and ending the stigma surrounding it. I do not work for Bell, but I have to give them credit where credit is due. Prior to 2010, I do not recall anybody, corporation or otherwise, being so open and public with this goal and this message. It is through days like this and initiatives like this that I have personally become more aware of this, and it is now a message that I am passionate about sharing, and it appears that I am not alone in being more aware...



I credit Bell with starting the conversation around mental health, at least in Canadian society. But, I believe that although the stigma surrounding mental health is decreasing slowly, we can and must do better because I still think that mental health is still a taboo topic in some circles, specifically depression and suicide. It wasn't too long ago that I heard about a song that had the word "suicidal" full-on censored and changed with "in denial." How sad is it that people are so scared of even the word "suicide" that they need to block it out and pretend it doesn't exist no not "taint" the ears of children, or whatever. In all honesty, I find that sickening because all that does is increase the stigma and potentially make people suffering from depression and/or suicidal thoughts feel more alone.

Nobody is perfect in this world, yet all over social media, there is so much pressure to be perfect that it is furthering the divide in our society. I've posted this quote from Phillip DeFranco a few times, but that's because it bears repeating, especially on days like today:

''"Something that is not unique, that's personal struggle. Those feelings of being alone, lost, trying to overcome something that sometimes feels impossible to get past, that's actually connective tissue to so many other people." - Phillip DeFranco''

Everybody in this world goes through some kind of struggle, and this is a day in which we can use that connective tissue that Phil is referring to in order to help break down the stigma surrounding them and our mental health. Furthermore, if you do feel that connection with somebody that is struggling, and you want to help them, as six-time Olympic medalist (speed skating and cycling), Clara Hughes, points out, sometimes all it takes to help break down that stigma is listening and hearing somebody out:



Onto a slightly different topic now, one of my many dreams for the future that would show mental health being taken seriously in society is expanded use and awareness of Mobile Crisis Units. These are exactly what they sound like, it provides immediate response emergency mental health evaluations, and are often requested by police or emergency rooms, and are usually requested due to a reasonable expectation that someone is in danger of self-harm (or possibly even in danger of harming another person). As part of a mobile crisis unit, a clinician from a mental health related field can assess the person and recommend treatment. Suicide hotlines are fantastic, and there are plenty of them, but they may not be the best choice for an immediate crisis.

I would love to see mobile crisis units added to direct lines from 9-1-1, much like police, fire, and paramedics. Often times for incidents like these, if 9-1-1 happens to be called, a paramedic or police officer will be sent to the scene, and they may not be fully equipped to deal with the situation, depending on the nature of it. Furthermore, we unfortunately live in a society where trust in police is fairly low, so a police officer being sent might even inadvertently make the situation worse if the person in crisis does not trust the police. I know this is a long way off if it ever does happen, but it would show that mental health is being taken as seriously as physical health if it does.

I want to take this time now to thank a couple of people on this wiki. Those being UnderAPineapple and Tanglefrost. Pineapple has really been a strong advocate for mental health awareness since he joined the wiki, and has put out a number of blogs related to the subject, and has ultimately inspired me to do the same. I will link two of his recent blogs below. Please check them out if you have the chance, especially the first one:

User blog:UnderAPineapple/Suicide Prevention Day - Sept. 10 (What We Need to Hear)

User blog:UnderAPineapple/In Memory of McKenzie Adams: Victim of Bullying

I would also like to thank Tangle for creating the character Kendra Valentine for his season Survivor: Grenada- Temptations. From what I can tell, Kendra was one of the first characters to be so open about her struggles with her mental health and suicidal thoughts, while not having an edit that made her appear overwhelmingly negative. In fact, the character that chastised her for it by choosing to "speak the truth for once," was actually the one that had the edit turn on him! I also love how Tangle had Kendra say in her exit interview that she wanted the season to air the way it did in part because she's tired of having mental health swept under the rug. So yeah, I really applaud Tangle for bringing Kendra into the wiki family and for using his platform to help break down this stigma of mental health.



I also want to add that each and every one of you truly matter. There is somebody in your life that you mean the absolute world to, and even your smallest actions can have a profound impact on somebody else. Do not underestimate yourself or undersell your value. Want proof? Here is a blog I put out earlier in the year in which I recall an experience I had with my friend Joey about a month ago that proves this exact point:

User blog:MightyUke416/A Story - You Matter

The best way for us to put an end to the stigma of mental health and to help people feel better about their mental state is to talk about it, especially because there are so many youth on this site that are going through their own personal struggles. As I mentioned, I do credit Bell with officially opening the conversation (at least in Canada) in the public eye. While I also credit Pineapple for opening the discussion here on the wiki, I want to take this time, as it is Bell: Let's Talk Day to continue that discussion because the more we talk, the more the stigma breaks down. Please, try not to be afraid to bring this discussion into your personal lives as well so we can help end the stigma of mental health.

I love you all, take care. <3

Sincerely,

Uke