Bell Canada will donate five cents towards mental health initiatives for every wireless or long distance call, text or tweet made by Bell customers
Let’s talk mental health on Jan. 28 #BellLet’sTalk
Photo: Queen’s University CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
On Jan. 28, Bell Let’s Talk Day 2015, spokesperson Clara Hughes is inviting you to join the conversation on mental health.
Reaching its fifth successful year, the conversation continues with Michael Landsberg, Howie Mandel and Mary Walsh joining Hughes, Michel Mpambara and Stefie Shock on the Bell Let’s Talk Team, according to the Bell Let’s Talk website.
The team is encouraging everyone to “talk, text, tweet and share to help grow Bell’s funding for Canadian mental health,” with Bell donating five cents for every text message, wireless and long distance call made by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of that day’s Bell Let’s Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk.
The project covers four pillars: anti-stigma, care and access, workplace health and research. It aims to jump over the hurdles associated with mental health problems, and teaches that anyone can help end stigma with five simple considerations:
Language Matters
The words you use can have a major impact on the lives of those with mental health problems, so try to avoid using harsh or judgemental language about anyone around you.
Educate yourself
As you would educate yourself on any other subject or personal interest, mental illness is something you should familiarize yourself with. Mental health is easy to get around if we all try to be aware of the reality of the people dealing with it.
Be kind to yourself and people around you
Stop judging! You never know what someone else is going through or the struggles they may face day to day.
Listen and ask
You can learn a lot by listening and when you listen to someone else, you can have a positive impact and can contribute to that person’s health. Be calm, because it may be very hard for that person to talk about their mental illness.
Talk about it
Let’s all continue to create and spread awareness. By letting a person know you are there to stand by them, you can comfort them and join the effort to help end stigma.
Let’s reach out and continue to talk about mental health in our communities.
With files from Tina Todaro
