Time to talk mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day
It’s Bell Let’s Talk Day!
Members of the Canadian Olympic Club (when signed in) can click on the “tweet” button above to receive the Bell Let’s Talk badge and 25 additional points.
Although support is needed year-round for people dealing with mental health issues, today you can actually do something helpful by simply picking up your mobile phone and joining the conversation.
Related: Getting set for seventh Bell Let’s Talk Day to support mental health
Whether you’re talking, texting, or sharing on social media, Bell will donate five cents for each eligible action to mental health initiatives across the country. The goal is to eradicate the stigma associated with mental illness and provide funding for access, care, and research.
Here’s what you can do today to prompt donations:
If you’re a Bell or Bell Aliant customer, send a text message (don’t forget to turn off iMessage!) or make a mobile or long distance call.
Share a Tweet or Instagram post with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk.
Watch the Bell Let’s Talk Day video on Facebook.
Or, use the Bell Let’s Talk geofilter on Snapchat.
Related: In her own words: Mercedes Nicoll’s fight against depression
With more ways than ever before to participate, the goal is to break last year’s record for Bell Let’s Talk Day, which saw 125,915,295 interactions for a total of $6,295,764.75 donated. Over the last six years, more than 640,000 people have been given access to mental health care thanks to nearly $80 million dollars donated to 345 organizations.
Results and Impact of Bell Let’s Talk Day
Aside from raising money, Bell Let’s Talk Day is also fulfilling a mission of education. Four out of five Canadians now report that they are more aware of mental health issues than when the campaign was first launched.
How to help end the stigma of mental illness
Five ways in which you can help end the stigma are to educate yourself about the facts and myths of mental illness, understand that language matters and words can hurt as much as help, be kind and listen to someone who is struggling. And of course, talk about it.
So share your story. Listen to those who are sharing. And get those fingers moving to raise funds for a cause that personally affects one in five Canadians. Right now, two-thirds of those suffering with mental illness do not seek help.
It’s time to change that statistic.
