January 26th 2022 is Bell Let’s Talk day! On this day, the phone company Bell pledges to donate 5 cents for every text, tweet, and social media repost on platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook to mental health initiatives across Canada. To participate in Bell Let’s Talk day, you can:
- Watch the official Bell Let’s Talk day video on Bell’s Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter or Youtube page.
- If you are a Bell customer, Bell will donate 5 cents for every phone call and text sent.
- Tweet #Bellletstalk.
- Use the Bell Let’s Talk Snapchat filter.
Support for this project has helped to fund a diverse range of community grants supporting mental health: The African Community Wellness Initiative, the Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network, and the Borderline Personality Disorder Society of BC, to name a few. Notably, significant efforts have been made to reach marginalized populations, where adequate mental health support is difficult to come by.
In addition to raising money, the implementation of this day may have also played a role in the shift towards a greater collective vulnerability in discussing personal struggles with mental health. I, personally, have borne witness to a great number of Instagram and Facebook posts shared on previous Bell Let’s Talk days from friends and family members sharing their struggles with mental health and offering support to those with similar lived experiences. Though not causally attributed to Bell, they cite on their website that since the first Bell Let’s Talk day in 2010, 82% of Canadians have had a positive shift in their attitudes towards mental health. However, being vulnerable about mental health struggles, though easier without stigma surrounding mental illness, can still be challenging. Conversely, knowing what to say to a friend or family member who is struggling is also anxiety-invoking and sometimes there is a tendency to avoid the topic altogether out of fear that we might say the wrong thing. The following are some guidelines that may be helpful when discussing mental health.
- When someone shares their struggles with mental illness, try not to offer advice unless they explicitly ask for it. Often, people just want to someone to listen without judgement and be there for them. Individuals with anxiety or depression often know that things like just getting out of bed, eating healthy, and exercising will improve their mood. Hearing someone tell them to do these things instead of listening may come across as dismissive and evoke feelings of shame or guilt. Instead, you can ask what activities they find helpful when they’re feeling down and offer to do one of their self-care activities with them.
- Try not to equate or one-up someone with your experiences unless they ask for advice on how you overcame a similar challenge. Once again, if someone reaches out to you, often they just want someone to listen. If you feel as if your experiences may be similar, you can listen and validate their emotions first and then offer to share with them, if they are in a headspace to hear it.
- Don’t force positivity. We tend to want to avoid difficult emotions, because we just want to see the people around us happy. Instead of trying to “cheer someone up” and shut down negative emotions invite them to talk about how they’re feeling.
- If you are experiencing something difficult and want to talk about it, make sure the other person has the capacity to support you in the moment. If you are not in crisis, try to check in with a support, whether it be a friend or family member, and ask if they are available to help you first. It can be counterproductive and invalidating to contact a friend to express a problem if they are unable to give you the attention you need. It can also be stressful for them if they want to be there for you but can’t.
The takeaway message is to listen first and ask open-ended questions. Discussing your own mental health or having a conversation about someone else’s may seem daunting, but it helps us form more meaningful connections.