Bell Let’s Talk

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day.  The premise of the program is to encourage talking about mental health.  At the time of its’ conception, most people were not talking about mental illness.  I know for me, campaigns like this can make a huge difference in the lives of not only those with mental illness, but the people who love them.  When I was twelve, my mother committed suicide.  At that time, there were no programs or initiatives encouraging people to talk openly about mental illness.  The entire subject was faux pas.  You just didn’t talk about it.  You hid your struggles from everyone including those that you love.  You hid from others that your mom committed suicide and didn’t have a “car accident”.  I was forced to bury most of my thoughts and feelings and never fully grieved.  Creating a conversation about mental health, may encourage someone to reach out for help.  I hope that if you are struggling, that you feel supported in a way that my mother never did.  Not just on days like today when the topic is in the forefront, but each and every day.