Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 2 – 8) is an annual, national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The week was established by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada.

Stigma around mental illness is like brick wall, acting as a barrier for people who experience mental illness and their families. A lack of understanding and compassion can contribute to feelings of hurt and isolation. Education, compassion, and awareness can work as a hammer, as together we consistently break down at stigma.

At Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), we have the Mental Health and Mental Illness Awareness Committee, which was formed to raise awareness of mental illness and mental health, and to reduce stigma and misinformation around mental illness.

Please join us in increasing awareness and participation during this week locally and nationally. You can find online resources here: https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/staff-wellness-resources/.