Slides for my presentation at the April 14, 2012, Breathe Now conference in Victoria, BC. "It's OK to talk about it."

1. Airdrie Miller • Blogger: talkingtoair.com
• airdrie@gmail.com
• Twitter: @airdrie_miller
• Vancouver, B.C.

2. My Story: 1990

3. 1995
Married Derek K. Miller (www.penmachine.com)

4. 1998
Marina Miller born.

5. 2000
Meredith Miller born

9. The face of depression.

11. World Health Organization definition
of mental health:
“a state of well being in which the
individual realizes his or her own
abilities, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully, and is
able to make a contribution to his or
her community”

12. Let’s talk about the statistics
• 20% of Canadians will suffer from a mental illness
in their lifetime.
• 8% will suffer a major depression
• 1% will suffer bipolar disorder (“manic
depression”
• 1% will be diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
How many friends do you have of Facebook?
Twitter? Apply these statistics to them. Mental
illness does not discriminate.

14. 2003: Desperate Housewife

15. Merry fucking Christmas!

16. inpatient

17. outpatient

18. balance

19. With help I became
healthy, strong and resilient.

20. 2007 Derek gets Cancer

21. May 3, 2011

22. Life can turn you upside down.

23. Mental illness is real, and it is
treatable.

24. Not only is it OK to talk about
it, talking about it is an important
step in achieving mental health.

25. Share this message with your children.

26. Resources
Moods Magazine Esperanza Magazine