Mental Health
Every year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. By the time an individual reaches the age of 40, 1 in 2 will have experienced a mental illness. Mental illness can affect anyone of any age, education, income level, or culture.
What is the difference between mental health and mental illness?
Just like physical health, we all have mental health. In fact, having good coping and resiliency skills are protective factors for sustaining both good mental health and physical health.
Mental health and mental illness are separate but related concepts, they can both co-exist in people and communities. For example, people with mental illness can have good mental health that allows them to enjoy life and deal with challenges in a healthy way, similarly, people without a mental illness can experience poor mental health and have trouble coping.
Help to promote mental health by finding a shared language!
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Health Promotion Resource Centre explains the separate but interconnected concepts of mental health and mental illness, as well as what it means to promote mental health, in ourselves and in our communities. Learn more about the difference between mental health and mental illness here.
Importance of Building Strong Brains
Your experiences and relationships as a child are the building blocks for lifelong wellness.
Help reduce stigma!
Did you know that stigma prevents 40% of those experiencing depression or anxiety from seeking treatment? Stigma is a set of negative, and often unfair, beliefs that a society or group of people have about something. The presence of stigma is especially harmful to children and youths’ mental health because it can act as a barrier to accessing needed services. It affects how individuals feel about themselves and how others see and feel about them. By decreasing stigma, people in need of support will be better able to access the mental health services they need to promote positive health and well-being.
Visit the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to learn more about what you can do to help reduce stigma.
911 is always the first number you should call during emergency situations.
If you need help or have questions:
Accessing Health Connection
Phone: 1-800-361-5653
TTY: 1-866-512-6228 (for the deaf or hard of hearing)
Email: @email
For 24 hour support from a registered nurse on medical symptoms, breastfeeding information and whether you should care for yourself or seek other medical or community services, please contact Health Connect Ontario by calling 811, through Chat or TTY: 1-866-797-0007 (for the deaf or hard of hearing).
Health Professionals can visit Mental Health and Wellbeing for more information regarding mental health promotion in our community including local programs, services and referral pathways.