What are the barriers to seeking help with mental health?
While the pandemic increased mental illnesses, it also helped shift how we talk about mental health and opened conversations. Meghan Markle and other celebrities going public with their own mental health struggles has helped the public conversation.
Despite how common mental illnesses are and the increased media coverage, many Canadians are still suffering in silence. A survey by Sun Life found that over half of Canadians dealing with mental health issues have not sought help.* Why? For a variety of reasons, you may relate to:
- they feel they don't need medical help,
- they think they can't afford it, or
- they’re too embarrassed to ask for help.
*Source: Sun Life, March 2021