Events like Mental Health Week raise awareness of the issue of mental health in our community and make positive changes to rid the stigma surrounding it.

Did you know that in 2013, the Canadian Mental Health Association of Canada reported that mental illness will affect 1 in 5 Canadians each year?

Chances are you or someone you know is struggling or has struggled with mental illness.  Anxiety is one of the most common of these, with 5% of the population varying in severity. Many factors contribute to mental illness, including genetics, personality, and environmental stressors. Almost half (49%) of all individuals who have experienced depression or anxiety did not seek out treatment.  This may be due to fear of stigma or not being aware that there are treatments.  Mental illness, left untreated, can result in suicide or suicide attempts in extreme cases.  Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds.

There is help available, and asking is often the hardest part and takes a lot of bravery.

• Counsellors on campus are available to help
• The crisis line is open 24 hours a day, 1888-353-CARE(2273),
• The Medical Clinic on-campus clinic has physicians available to help you find the most appropriate treatment.

Mental illness is treatable. If you are suffering, you are not alone. If you know someone who may benefit from help, let them know it’s ok and support them in accessing help. Stigma is half the battle, which is in our hands to change. Mental health is like any other illness.  It’s time we treat it that way, as it will have an impact on all of us at some point in our lives

Check out these fast facts about mental illness and more info from the CMHA:

Who is affected?

• 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”).

How common is it?

• 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.

What causes it?

• A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
• 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.

What is the economic cost?

• The economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998 – $4.7 billion in care and $3.2 billion in disability and early death.
• An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for depression and distress that was not treated by the health care system.
• · In 1999, 3.8% of all admissions in general hospitals (1.5 million hospital days) were due to anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, major depression, personality disorders, eating disorders and suicidal behaviour. Sources: The Report on Mental Illness in Canada, October 2002. EBIC 1998 (Health Canada 2002), Stephens et al., 2001

How does it impact youth?

• It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.
• Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth aged 12 to 19 have experienced a major depressive episode.
• The total number of 12-19-year-olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
• Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.
• Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children, with Canada’s youth suicide rate the third highest in the industrialized world.
• Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24-year-old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
• Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30-year age group, affecting an estimated one person in 100.
• Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are ranked as the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.
• In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receive them.