This document outlines the mental health crisis in Canada, highlighting several key statistics: - 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, with depression and anxiety the most common. Suicide is a leading cause of death. - There are not enough mental health services and providers in Canada to meet the growing demand as issues are brought "out of the shadows". - Stigma remains a major barrier to treatment, with myths that mental illnesses mean someone is violent, weak, or lazy. Collaboration is needed between providers, families, and communities to improve support systems and recovery outcomes.

1. A DESPERATE PLEA FOR
HELP
Created by I M Confident
October 2009

2. MENTAL ILLNESS IS
DESTROYING CANADIANS
AND THEIR FAMILIES!
Mental health has been neglected for far too long
in Canada, and the need for immediate action is
broadly recognized across the mental health
sector — by people living with mental health
problems, their family members and caregivers,
professionals, researchers and governments.

3. WE ARE IN CRISIS!
*Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at
some time through a family member, friend or
colleague
*20% of Canadians will personally experience a
mental illness in their lifetime.
*Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational
and income levels, and cultures.
*Approximately 8% of adults will experience major
depression at some time in their lives.
*About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar
disorder (or "manic depression").

4. LOOK AT THESE STATS!
 Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian
population.
 Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household
population, causing mild to severe impairment.
 Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among
15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year
olds.
 Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in
both men and women from adolescence to
middle age.
 The mortality rate due to suicide among men is
four times the rate among women.

5. DO WE REALLY KNOW THE
FACTS?
 Mental illnesses are a complex interplay of
genetic, biological, personality and
environmental factors
 Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they
have suffered from depression or anxiety have
never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
 Stigma or discrimination attached to mental
illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to
diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance
in the community.
 Mental illnesses can be treated effectively.

6. MENTAL ILLNESS CAN BE
TREATED EFFECTIVELY…………..
So let’s get going and start helping people.
If something isn’t done now, the problem
will continue to get worse.
How many more people will be admitted to
hospitals for mental illnesses?
How many more will commit suicide to stop
their pain?
How many more families will be torn apart?

7. LACK OF SERVICES
 Canada DOES NOT have enough mental health
service providers.
 More attention is being brought to mental health
and as it is brought out of the shadows, there will
be a substantial increase in the demand for
programs for prevention and treatment
 Many providers of mental health services are
experiencing high levels of stress themselves
along with other mental health problems.

8. TEAMWORK
•Working together is the ONLY way to provide a
continuous supply of necessary services.
•Service providers need to work closely with the
commission and other sources to find the best
solution for providing high-quality services
•A perfect system is not possible, but Canada must
provide more for so many who are currently without.

9. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE
THESE MYTHS………..
People with mental illness are violent and
dangerous.
The truth is that, as a group, mentally ill people are
no more violent than any other group.
In fact, they are far more likely to be the victims of
violence than to be violent themselves.

10. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE
THESE MYTHS………..
People with mental illness are poor
and/or less intelligent.
Many studies show that most mentally ill
people have average or above-average
intelligence. Mental illness, like physical
illness, can affect anyone regardless of
intelligence, social class or income level.

11. MORE MYTHS………..
Mental illness is caused by a personal
weakness.
A mental illness is not a character flaw. It is an
illness, and it has nothing to do with being
weak or lacking will-power. Although people
with mental illness can play a big part in their
own recovery, they did not choose to become
ill, and they are not lazy because they cannot
just "snap out of it."

12. MORE MYTHS………..
Mental illness is a single, rare disorder.
Mental illness is not a single disease but a broad
classification for many disorders. Anxiety,
depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia,
personality disorders, and organic brain disorders
can cause misery, tears and missed opportunities for
thousands of Canadians.

13. MORE
MYTHS………..
Words can’t hurt
Words like "crazy," "cuckoo," "psycho," "wacko"
and "nutso" are just a few examples of words that
keep the stigma of mental illness alive. These
words belittle and offend people with mental health
problems.
Many of us use them without intending any harm.
Just as we wouldn't mock someone for having a
physical illness like cancer or heart disease, it is
cruel to make fun of someone with a mental
illness.

14. MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE
MEDIA
The media often distorts the truth.
Movies, television and books often present people
with mental illnesses as dangerous or unstable.
News articles will use mental illness to create a
sensation even if the mental illness is not relevant to
the story being told.

15. MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE
MEDIAAdvertisers use words like "crazy" to show prices are
low and suggest the consumer take
advantage of them.
You can help change the way mental illness is talked
about in the media by speaking up.
crazy

16. THE NEED TO COLLABORATE
 Providers need to work closely together to
support family caregivers and peer helpers
 Internationally, models of collaboration are
already beyond the traditional biomedical model
 Family physicians deal with 85% of people with
mental illness
 Access to services for mental illness should be
addressed in a more effective way, thus taking
the tremendous burden from the family physician
and allowing people to receive proper assistance

17. THE STIGMA MUST BE
REMOVED Stigma is a serious issue that has no valid
basis
 Lack of knowledge, negative experiences,
overwork and poor working conditions may be
some of the reasons this exists
 Many health professionals, including those in
the mental health field hold negative attitudes
towards mental health problems, which is sad
because they are very capable of helping those
with illnesses
 The Mental Health Commission takes this issue
extremely seriously and will need the help of
patients and health care providers to address it
effectively.

18. RECOVERY REQUIRES SUPPORT
 Internationally, there is a strong consensus that
recovery is important for mental illness and that
all people should be given the opportunity to live
their lives to the fullest, taking into consideration
any limitations they may have
 Recovery requires a system of support that
includes peers, families, caregivers, community
and supportive programs
 Recovery is not just solving a problem or
reducing symptoms, it requires working with
patients to improve their lifestyle

19. WHAT IS PEER
SUPPORT?
•Like minded individuals with similar experiences
encourage, provide non-judgmental support and
build trust which helps them both heal
•Individuals can openly and honestly express
their pain and frustration to someone ‘who has
been there and now is here for you’
•Experiential knowledge has an immense power
that can’t be learned in a classroom or a book
and it allows an individual to discover their inner
strength

20. THE MILITARY AND THE RCMP
HAVE BROKEN THE STIGMA…………
 Our National Defence has created a peer
support network that has majorly reduced
the stigma of mental illness and helps our
soldiers get treated sooner and faster
 If the military and the RCMP can break the
stigma of mental illness as a character
weakness, then WHY CAN’T THE REST
OF US??

21. Economic cost of mental illness
exceeds $50 billion annually!!
 Mental illness is the biggest liability facing
government and businesses
 Workforce productivity suffers greatly from
stigma
 About one-third of all disability claims are
due to depression
 If the stigma was removed, Canadian
employers could save billions of dollars
each year

22. WE NEED ACTION!!!
Millions of dollars are wasted annually on health care
and medications
We are in crisis and need to take action immediately
before more lives are lost to mental illness
unnecessarily
It is the human right of each individual to be able to
access the proper care from professionals and other
support personal

23. WHAT ARE YOU
DOING TO HELP?