Ride Don’t Hide fights mental health stigma
None of us will go through life without being touched by mental illness
The symptoms of metal illness are easy to hide, at first. No blood. No crutches. Something is wrong. Something hurts. But you cannot show anyone the wound. It’s hard to describe when you don’t really understand what is happening yourself. So you fake it. And it gets worse. You miss work. You self medicate. You isolate yourself from friends and family. And one day, you just can’t hide anymore.
None of us will go through life without being touched in some way by mental illness. It may be a personal struggle. It may be your parent, your child, a friend or a colleague. You’re probably thinking of someone right now and wondering what you can do. It’s time to make it easier for people to come forward and seek the help they need.
My brother-in-law was in his early twenties when his behaviour became erratic. He rented a car and drove home from university with wild fears of persecution. He was showing the first signs of schizophrenia, a serious mental illness characterized by false beliefs and hearing voices. Tragically, it often affects young people just as they are getting launched in the world. Medication, strategies and resources are all available, but only when the person consents to treatment.
It took almost 10 years of lost jobs, emergency room visits and police interventions for my brother-in-law to hit rock bottom. Then, for six months, he languished in jail, a place where mental illness is no stranger. Finally, he was admitted to the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital where he received the medications that would restore peace to his troubled mind.
Within a short time, he was “himself ” again; reconnected with family, reading the newspaper and following the Ticats. But successful ongoing support requires accessible community programs and appropriate housing. The Canadian Mental Health Association is committed to increasing the availability of programs and resources to support people suffering with severe mental illnesses in a timely fashion. The sooner people get help, the better the outcome. One crucial CMHA program is Mental Health Court Support Services. Mental Health Court Workers can assess the needs of those who have been charged with committing low-risk offences, offer court diversion options and provide ongoing support.
2016 is the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Hamilton. Over those years this organization has provided important services for thousands of Hamiltonians. Last year alone the organization supported over 4,000 members of our community suffering from serious mental illnesses.
Their website — cmhahamilton.ca — is a gateway to real help. It says, “Mental illnesses can take many forms, just as physical illnesses do. Mental illnesses are still feared and misunderstood by many people, but the fear will disappear as people learn more about them. If you, or someone you know, has a mental illness, there is good news for you: all mental illnesses can be treated.”
On June 26, CMHA Hamilton will embark on its first Ride Don’t Hide event along with 32 other communities across Canada. All four routes start and finish at McMaster University. Riders can choose a route with a distance appropriate for them. They will ride in solidarity to encourage positive conversations about mental health, reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and raise funds to meet the growing need for CMHA programs right here in Hamilton. The ride has more than 100 volunteers, a growing amount of sponsorship support and riders are still signing up daily.
It will take the commitment and action of the entire community to create an environment of support and caring for individuals and families who have kept their struggles with mental illness hidden. Visit the CMHA website to learn more about programs and volunteer opportunities. I hope you’ll go to ridedonthide.com and join us on June 26.
Mental illnesses can take many forms, just as physical illnesses do. CMHA WEBSITE