Vancouverites encouraged to #GetLoud for Mental Health Week

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s time for British Columbians to #Getloud, as today marks the first day of Mental Health Week.

Sarah Hamid-Balma is the director of mental health promotions for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). She explains they named the campaign #GetLoud to show people there’s a support system out there for them that’s bigger than they know.

“Usually [sic] don’t want others to know that they maybe have gone through a mental illness or know someone and so we’re trying to say actually there’s this you know a huge army of people who can talk about this issue, so it’s time that we actually get loud for once.”

This year the CMHA wants to focus on the theme of self-care for Mental Health Week. Hamid-Balma explains “we’re using self-care just to remind people what we mean by mental health here, we are not talking about disease and illness this week, we are really talking about trying to prevent problems and trying to just have a better happier life.”

Local initiatives

The CMHA is hosting a number of local events this year to spread awareness about what mental health is. Hamid-Balma highlights two big events in particular that will be happening this week.

“Two big events that we are a part of are at our provincial office we are having a tea card campaign that’s happening at all London Drugs across western Canada. You might see them at the cashier next time you go to your London Drugs with some self-care tips and some very good mental health supporting tea at the cashier and we ask people to check that out and maybe to make a donation while they’re doing that.”

The second event is exercise-themed because Hamid-Balma says getting active is great for physical and mental health. Steve Nash Fitness clubs across the Lower Mainland as well as Victoria and Kelowna will have bikes set up outside to participate in a cycling event–meaning you don’t have to be a member to participate. For every kilometre you spin, Steve Nash Club will donate a dollar to CMHA.

One-in-five people develop mental illness

Hamid-Balma says mental health affects all of us.

“One-in-five people will develop a mental illness in their life and what we are trying to say is all five, and five people will be affected by mental health because we all have mental health. So even if you have never experienced, and will never experience a mental illness like depression or an anxiety disorder or eating disorder or psychotic disorder, or dementia or anything you problem know someone who is experiencing those,” she says.

“And even if you don’t have that, you have your own feelings, thoughts, and behaviours, and your own resilience to think about. So we are all affected is the point. One in five people will maybe have an illness but all of us are affected.”

Mental Health Week ends May 13th.

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