Mental Health Matters

By Delaney Hayden, News Reporter

On Jan. 25, Bell Let’s Talk Day was celebrated for the thirteenth year in a row. The campaign originated in Canada and was founded by Bell Canada, a Canadian telecommunications company. The purpose of the day is to take action and create positive change for mental health. It is the largest corporate commitment to mental health in Canada.

Several organizations partnered with Bell Let’s Talk to spread awareness; they also informed participants about different ways people can seek help. One of these groups was the NHL’s Montréal Canadiens, who partnered with the organization and gave “Hockey Talks” at their home arena. Through these talks, fans had the opportunity to learn about mental health resources and hear stories from professional athletes to break the stigma associated with mental illness.

The event emphasizes the importance of hearing about struggles from societal figures who are admired, on and off the playing fields. While many people look up to these athletes, they sometimes struggle with their own mental health battles. Hearing public figures like famous athletes share their stories helps break the stigma which was the main goal of the initiative.

MenTALK Mental Health Awareness Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Champlain East is also a large group that partnered with the movement. Men with various experiences spoke on the realities of mental health from their perspective. It is statistically proven that a stigma exists around men and mental health. The expectation that men must bottle up emotions and feelings when they are struggling, are evidently sexist generalizations. It is, unfortunately, a contributing cause as to why some men do not seek out the help that they may need for their mental health. On Bell Let’s Talk Day, a roundtable discussion moderated by Jason Pollick, manager of CMHA’s Mental Health Promotion, was set up to explore issues affecting men’s mental health with the goal of inspiring men to reach out for support.

Through social media posts, events throughout the day and people sharing their stories, Bell Let’s Talk Day 2023 was another successful day in the fight against stigmas. If you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out and seek help. Bell Let’s Talk encourages everyone: “Let’s take action to help create positive change for those living with mental health issues.”