The impact of mental health in Canada is widespread, at home, in
the community, and at work.
According to statistics, forty percent of Canadians have had their
lives disrupted due to mental health, with seventeen percent of
Canadians claiming they've had to take time off work and school
to deal with the challenges.
Seeing the invisible
While mental health problems are often invisible, their
prevalence in our society – recent estimates say at least one
in five Canadians will face a mental health issue in their lifetime
– requires empathy, vigilance and an approach that ensures
those suffering receive the care and support they need.
To be sure, with stigma still unfortunately playing a
significant factor, people might be disinclined to share their
stories of struggling with mental health illnesses. Add to that the
fact that signs of mental illness are often difficult to see,
it's not surprising that many suffer in silence, feeling very
much alone.
