Today on Bell Let’s Talk Day, and every day, we must continue having conversations about mental health. Please watch this video of our local youth & young adults as they talk about what mental health means to them and how we can reduce the related stigma in our community.
Video Transcript:
( Opening slides, text on background )
The Tanner Steffler Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council wishes to thank everyone for their participation in this video and for their desire to end the silence related to mental health and addiction in Huron & Perth County.
This video includes content around mental health difficulties, illness and related stigma. We acknowledge that this content may be emotionally difficult and we encourage you to care for your safety and well-being.
(Text at bottom of screen reads: “What does mental health mean to you?”)
Mental to me is the hidden health of our mind.
Mental health to me is just as important as your physical health.
Mental health is realizing you might not be in the right place mentally, but acknowledging that you may need help.
Being open to getting help and understanding that it’s ok to not be okay all of the time.
Mental health is something everybody has, mental health is a number of different ways that people’s lives are affected by their thoughts.
If we are feeling sad or if we’re happy, how we keep our minds happy and if that sadness turns into something more concerning or something more serious.
I think it’s very important.
It’s everything.
Text at bottom of screen reads: “How can we help to reduce the stigma around mental health in Huron County?
We can reduce the stigma in Huron County by making other people aware.
We need to educate people because I feel like it’s stigmatized because a lot of people don’t know what it is or why we need to talk about it.
It’s important to educate everyone.
Honestly, what we’re doing right now.
Awareness and acceptance.
By putting the message out that everybody is affected by mental health.
If everyone is educated enough and learns more about this we can all make a change.
Accepting people, accepting their truth, accept you know, their struggles.
The more people we educate – the more parents we educate, kids we educate- the better it will be and the more people will feel less judgement talking about it.
No matter what race, gender, body size, everybody’s affected by it. Instead of shaming people, we can encourage people to speak up about their problems.
Stigma can prevent lots of people from reaching out for help, so we want lots of people to be educated.
Just being able to talk about it and open about it and make a conversation for it.
Honestly the pandemic has shown us that there isn’t a lot of people that – or enough people care about mental health as much as they probably should.
We have to realize as a community that it’s not weak to have mental health.
Text on black background reads:
If you are interested in your YOUTH voice being heard, please message the TSF youth instagram page tsf_youthcouncil or contact TSF directly via text or call 519-604-HOPE (4673)
REACH OUT:
If you are a youth between the ages of 12 and 24 with mental health and/or addiction concerns and need some help navigating local mental health, addiction or wellness services, call or text Tanner Steffler Foundation at 519-604-HOPE (4673) We respond within 24 hours. We are not a crisis line.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT LINES:
Local: Huron Perth Help Line & Crisis Response
Call 1-888-829-7484
Across Ontario & Canada: Canada Suicide Prevention Line – available 24/7
Call 1-833-456-4566
Canadian Transgender Suicide Hotline – Available 24/7
Call 1-877-330-6366
Kids Help Phone: Available 24/7 to kids, teens and young adults
Call 1-800-668-6868 or text TALK to 686868
Good2Talk Post Secondary Crisis Line
Call 1-866-925-5454
Tanner’s story reminds us of the importance of youth mental health support in Huron County
In memory of Tanner Steffler and in honour of all Huron County families, TSF works to create systematic change in our local mental health and addiction services. We collaborate with youth, community organizations and schools to provide proven mental health supports and services in our community.
www.tannerstefflerfoundation.com