Getting my diagnosis was like being handed a key to my prison, not a life sentence.
Tag: stigma
Life Lessons – Bringing Mental Health To Class
You’d think having travelled out of the lonely wasteland of mental illness and learnt to manage my condition, I’d be great at nurturing awareness of emotional health in others. Dr Kutcher made me realize there was much more I could be doing for my children…
BPD LIKE A BOSS! Don’t let your diagnosis define you
Knowledge is power. The more you know about your adversary the greater your chances of defeating them, UNLESS you mistake knowledge for a hook to hang personal responsibility on…
Smashing Mental Health Stigma With Free Family Movies
When I was small, my father was diagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder. Everyone did their best to pretend everything was okay. But it wasn’t. And it wouldn’t be for a very long time.
In my head, I’m normal
In a conversation about mental illness. I ticked off the people in my life who’ve led me to experience the rockier road of mental health but it wasn’t until later that evening I realized I’d forgotten to include myself…
Smashing Stigma – Ontario Shores 3rd annual Mindful Music festival
Last weekend the much anticipated 7th of July finally rolled around; cause for celebration in our house as it was the third annual Mindful Music community festival, held in the beautiful lakeside grounds of Ontario Shores, here in Whitby.
Depression – The person behind the disorder
It’s easy to think of mental illness purely in terms of symptoms and statistics, but what of the people behind the disorders? What’s the reality for them? Jackie attempts to explain…
Canadian Youth and Suicide – an uncomfortable truth
The funeral of Toronto teenager, Caylen Millben took place this morning. He was the third teenager at the Sandalwood Heights secondary school to take his own life since November.
Kids in crisis – the repercussions of abuse
Picture yourself in the following situation…
As a baby, you entered the world unwanted. If you had any doubts about that as you got older they were erased by the knowledge that your mother “gave you away” to be raised by a fellow stripper with a long history of drug and alcohol abuse. So it’s true; she really didn’t give a **** about you. You tell yourself you’re glad you never knew her. Does it stop the pain?
Stigma is still biggest hurdle to treating depression
An interesting piece in one of Canada’s dailies today, highlighting how societal perceptions of mental illness are preventing people from seeking treatment. We really can’t move forward with mental health issues until we break down the walls of shame and secrecy surrounding them.