8 Ways to #GetLoud During Mental Health Week

This week is the 64^th annual mental health week in Canada. What is mental health week? Well, mental health week is a week in Canada, sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), dedicated to creating awareness around mental health. As the CMHA says, “We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. It’s a state of well-being.”

This year’s mental health week is being hashtagged by #GetLoud on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere. It’s an attempt to remind Canadians to reach out and get loud about the subject of mental health.

8 Ways You Can #GetLoud for Mental Health

The CMHA has identified eight ways you can #GetLoud on the subject of mental health:

1. Talk about your own mental health. The CMHA is encouraging everyone to talk to a professional, loved one, or friend about your own mental health. In life there are always challenges but we know that talking about them is protective of our mental health. Talking about your own mental health issues can encourage others to do the same.
2. Talk about their mental health. You can also talk to someone else about their mental health. Maybe the person is having a tough time right now or something challenging is happening in his or her life. Reduce the shame some people feel about mental health issues by openly bringing them up without stigma.
3. Write to the government. Addressing mental health in Canada should be a national priority just as addressing other types of health is. Write your government official to remind them of this.
4. #GetLoud at work. Commit to creating an open, mental health-friendly work environment. Encourage mental health educational classes at work. Contact the CMHA any time for training, resources, and support.
5. Make a donation. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking out about mental health, maybe making a donation is for you. Donate at mentalhealthweek.ca or Text GETLOUD to 20222.
6. Host an event. Host an event that promotes mental health and mental illness in your community while raising funds to help the CMHA’s mission of “maintaining and improving the mental health of all Canadians and helping those with mental illness.” More information on hosting a fundraiser can be found here.
7. Get creative. For some people, a painting, drawing or sculpture is a worth 1000 words. If this is your way of speaking out – do it. Create a work of art that creates awareness about mental health and decreases the prejudice and stigma about mental illness and share it across your social channels – tagged with #GetLoud, of course.
8. Share the #GetLoud website. You can find the #GetLoud website here. Share it across your social networks and encourage people to check out the videos and information there about mental health.

And once you do pick one (or more) of these eight ways to #GetLoud, make sure you visit the #GetLoud website and let them know. The CMHA is tracking all the places in Canada where people are raising awareness and we want every province and territory on that list.

“This article was written by award-winning mental health writer and speaker, Natasha Tracy.”
http://natashatracy.com