Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness.
Mental illness affects more than six million people across the country about one in five Canadians. (http://www.camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week/about-miaw/) This week is an opportunity to shine a light on the stigmatization of mental illness and work to create a society where it is easy for people with mental illness to seek the help they need. Mental Illness Awareness Week seeks to highlight the hidden significant burden mental illness places on us all.
In order to raise awareness and decrease stigmatization, MIAW has shared Faces of Mental Illness featuring personal stories from individuals living with mental illness.
The PIPSC Mental Health Resource Guide is available as a resource. This Guide is a comprehensive tool-kit that will help you recognize the signs of mental illness, provides advice on starting these difficult conversations and includes information on where to access resources for support. We all have a role to play in break down stigma and making it easier for all of us to seek support for mental illness.