Jodie Vanderslot | Health Editor
Featured image: Let’s talk about mental health more than just one day a year. | Basma Elbahnasawy
In September 2010, Bell Canada began a conversation about mental health in Canada—Bell Let’s Talk Day. Since then, it has become an annual event.
Bell Let’s Talk Day takes place today, January 31, and intends to continue the conversation about, and end the stigma around mental illness.
“Any change that has ever taken place first began with a simple conversation. Like a butterfly effect, talking about mental health sends ripples across our society that can end up saving lives. We believe that mental health should be given just as much a pedestal as is physical, and that through compassion and advocacy, we can de-stigmatize mental illness together,” says a representative of Active Minds at York.
The details of Bell Let’s Talk Day need to be made clear: for every text message sent by Bell Canada customers, Bell will donate five cents towards mental health programs. For every view the Bell Let’s Talk Day video receives, as well as every tweet using #BellLetsTalk and @Healthy_Minds, every post on Instagram with the same hashtag and tag @HealthyMindsCanada, or use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter, Bell will donate five cents towards mental health initiatives.
“I think a high majority of us have mental health concerns, but don’t face them because of the stigma and shame we feel. But it’s high time we break that cycle,” says Yalda Sarwar, a fourth-year Journalism student at Seneca.
The campaign strives to promote mental health awareness, acceptance, and not only employs, but calls, for action.
For the Bell Let’s Talk campaign, Bell will contribute to mental health initiatives such as the Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Boys and Girls Club, as well as different universities and hospitals across Canada.
These funds are used to improve access to care and support world-class research, such as $150,000 to St. John Ambulance, who will work towards integrating more mental health training in standard and emergency First Aid courses, and a $400,000 donation to the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, in order to acquire a new repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation device and a neuronavigator designed to increase access to its Neuromodulation Unit for those living with mental illness.
“I think that Bell Let’s Talk—although it is only a day—is indeed beneficial, considering that the first steps to treating mental illness is addressing it head-on, and talking about it with either a trusted person or in public. I think that the whole movement is great.
“So many people suffer from mental health issues, whether they are aware of it or not, and having the opportunity for your voice and story to be heard is not only a good thing, but revolutionary in nature,” says John Mercado, a fourth-year Marketing student.
“As someone who suffers from mild OCD and anxiety, I know that by talking about it, even for just a day, can help alleviate the feelings of loneliness and the perception of fighting the battle alone. When you are given a platform to share with others what you are going through, those feelings of being alone suddenly disappear,” he adds.
Bell Let’s Talk began as a way to start a much-needed conversation about mental health, acknowledging those who were struggling, and encouraging them to come forward with their experiences to share just how common mental health challenges are.
In raising awareness about these issues, the aim was—and still is—to combat the stigma that surrounds them. However, many feel that Bell Let’s Talk should have everyone continuing to discuss and de-stigmatize mental illness on a daily basis—not just once a year.
“Bell Let’s Talk does raise awareness of and promotion for mental health, because people who are directly affected by mental illness may find some support when it comes to the subject. Although it is only for a day, many people have felt the need to continue the conversation throughout the year, with their own ways of advocating and helping those who suffer from a mental illness,” says Christa Boadi, communications director of Women’s Mental Health Talks and a third-year Communication Studies student.
This year, Bell Let’s Talk hopes to surpass last year’s record of support. Last year, they received 131,705,010 total messages, $6,585,250.50 more in funding for Canadian mental health services, and #BellLetsTalk was the top hashtag used on social media platforms.
The massive wave of support felt on Bell Let’s Talk should be genuine, and it should be felt not just today, but every day. The goal of this campaign—to increase awareness around mental illness and support those with it—should be what we strive to do every day of the year. Keep the conversation going.
Let’s talk.
