It’s the Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) 66th Annual Mental Health Week.

CMHA is asking Canadians again this year to #GETLOUD to maintain positive mental health and #GETLOUD to get it back.

CMHA is asking Canadians to get loud for mental health and encouraging them to talk more openly and honestly about mental health.

“Getting loud means speaking up to support people living with mental illness. It means taking action and using your voice to raise awareness and build support. For someone at work. For someone at home. For yourself,” said Clark MacFarlane, Executive Director at CMHA Cochrane-Timiskaming. “Get loud to maintain positive mental health and get loud to get it back. Because the louder we all get, the bigger difference we will make.”

Here is a list of Mental Health Week events and activities in Timmins:

  • Monday, May 1st: appreciation kits will be delivered to community partners to thank them for their work in supporting mental health in our community and to encourage them to #GETLOUD with us.
  • Tuesday, May 2nd from 2 to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, May 3rd from 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.: PhotoVOICE Expo at 330 Second Avenue, Timmins
  • Thursday, May 4th starting at 6:30 p.m.: #GETLOUD Walk/ Run at Gillies Lake
  • Friday, May 5th: Wear Green Day

The McIntyre Headframe will “shine green” throughout the week.

But why green? According to BC’s Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, green ribbons were used in the 1800s to label people who were considered “insane”. We’re going to give the colour green a whole new meaning and turn the historical negative association on its head. Help remove the stigma of mental illness: wear green loud and proud!

To find out how to GET LOUD for mental health and for more information on local events, visit www.cmhact.ca

CMHA introduced Mental Health Week (MHW) in 1951 to raise awareness of mental illness in Canada. Today, MHW offers practical ways to maintain and improve mental health and support recovery from mental illness and addictions.

Filed under: Local News