Raising awareness one step at a time

Phillips Square, in downtown Montreal, was crowded on Sunday morning. It was the starting point for this year’s Montreal Walks for mental health with Margaret Trudeau as one of its honorary chairs. Esther Viragh reports. 

The event united those struck by a mental illness and those who were there to offer their support. The 5 km walk was in its third consecutive year. Its aim was to sensitize the public and to raise awareness on mental health issues. Margaret Trudeau has been part of the event from the beginning.

"I support everything that people do to get the conversation started on mental health issues. Everybody is affected by mental health. It’s becoming the number one cost to our health care in the country."  

One in five Canadians will be struck by mental illness in their lifetime. Two thirds of those will never seek professional help. This is due in large part to the stigma associated with mental health. Dave Smaill says: education is key.

"They should be aware, they should understand, they should empathize, sympathize and contribute because it’s a human thing. It’s not unusual, it’s not bizarre, it’s not strange, it’s not crazy, it’s human."

Researcher and clinical psychologist Howard Steiger explains: mental illness is no different from any other illness one can contract.

"It’s not weakness. It’s the same kind of vulnerabilities that underlie other medical problems but that express themselves in people’s emotional reactivities and behaviour."

As the crowd began to walk, the theme of the event resonated in their movement. “Walk towards a world without stigma,” they said, bringing hope for a more tolerant future.

Esther Viragh, CJLO News