Mental Health conversation coming up this Wednesday

At 5 p.m. on August 15, there will be a group gathering at the Town of Lac Brome Community Centre to talk about mental health. Marc Pelletier, the organizer of the meeting, calls it a sort of “Mental Health 101,” explaining that goal of this gathering is to create a safe, open environment for discussions about understanding mental health and mental illness in the Brome-missisquoi region.

Although he has no professional health training, Pelletier does have over 40 years of personal experience to draw on. He is open about the fact that he is on anti-depressants and has anxiety, and has decided to mix that personal understanding with his knack for organizing events to bring people together to listen and learn.

The evening will feature four testimonials from individuals who have experience mental health issues in their lives as well as a presentation by Tim Wisdom from l’eveil in Cowansville, who will bring resources about the diversity of mental illness and the multitude of services available to those in need in the area.

At the closing of the meeting, a man who has indicated that he would prefer to remain anonymous until the event will share how his family has a lot of familiarity with mental health disorders and suicide, mostly due to their genetics. He will also explain how it is possible to use other means besides medications to deal with the side effects of some disorders. Among these alternatives he listed change in diet, exercise, meditation, extra sleep, and holistic care, among others. Although there will be mention of these alternatives, there will be no exclusion of those who believe that medication works best for them.

Pelletier was clear that the point of this assembly is not to debate, but rather to inform and branch out to those who feel alone in their struggles. It is to inform then that there are multiple tools out there that may help. The goal of this meeting, he added, is “to get people talking.”

There will be no statistics or teachings during the meeting; it will be hands on accounts of different forms of mental health. A question period will be held at the end, and the organizer said that if the get-together is successful, it many subdivide into smaller groups: depending on the necessity and the demand.

Pelletier also underlined the fact that, at the request of his family, Wednesday’s meeting will specifically and intentionally not discuss the recent death of Riley Fairholm.