Mental health will be on the minds of many as local organizations come together to promote mental health awareness later this month.
Stakeholders in the community will provide an activity-based approach to encourage discussion around mental health in conjunction with Bell’s widely popular Let’s Talk campaign on Jan. 31.
Ebony Trubiak, counsellor and coordinator at Flin Flon and District Assessment and Referral Service has been aware of the campaign for some time, but noticed Flin Flon wasn’t overly active in it. Trubiak is part of one of several organizations in town that have an interest in promoting mental health.
“I don’t belong to a large organization, and I’m always looking for ways of connecting with people who work in similar roles – mental health, addictions, helping roles,” said Trubiak, who hoped to network in the community to create an engaging event around mental health.
Trubiak met with representatives from Addictions Foundation Manitoba and the Flin Flon School division in September, and the event began to take shape.
“It blossomed to be something way bigger than we anticipated in the beginning. It’s all people who are really passionate and really believe it’s important, and just want to let people know it’s okay to talk about this stuff,” said Trubiak.
One in five Canadians experience a mental health problem or illness each year. Trubiak said when people think about health, they often think strictly about physical health, without incorporating the mental aspect of it.
“It’s about balance. They [physical and mental health] combine to what health actually is. Both are important,” she said.
“Mental health is more encompassing – it includes your values and culture, and it’s not just the absence of disease.”
Trubiak stressed the importance of catching mental health issues early before they worsen and affect the way the person functions at school, work and in relationships. Each week, half a million people across Canada miss work because of a mental health problem or illness, and mental health is the number one cause of disability claims in Canada. Still, some people have trouble talking about it.
“Because of stigma, people often don’t. They’re afraid to tell people these kinds of things are happening, because maybe they’re going to be judged or labeled, or somebody is going to take away their responsibilities – those kinds of things – so people kind of suffer in silence, and lots of times it just gets worse,” said Trubiak, who hopes the events that will take place in the community will help fight that stigma.
“I think that’s kind of the main message, that talking helps people feel supported,” she said.
“Just to fight the stigma, to let people know you’re not alone. Lots of people have mental health problems and disorders. There are lots of people out there that care or want to help or support people in that even if it’s not what they’re going through themselves. You just never know when you’re going to be on that side of the fence, either.”
While mental health resources are limited in Flin Flon and often in high demand, Trubiak believes resources are limited across the country.
“Some people will say, ‘Oh, you live in the north and it’s isolated. There aren’t some of the resources they might have in larger centres.’ Even when you live in larger centres, I’ve talked to people who say there are huge waiting lists. There might be more services, doctors and psychiatrists, but it’s awfully hard to get in.”
Trubiak said she would like to see more funding provided to increase the amount of resources available, and also wider public knowledge of what resources are available.
More information on events to take place on Jan. 31 will be available in the coming weeks.
