Mental Health Week 2022: Empathy
Updated: Aug 30, 2022
Every year since 1951, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has hosted Mental Health Week in the first full week in May, making 2022 the 71st year. Mental Health Week is a Canadian tradition, with communities, schools and workplaces rallying to celebrate, protect and promote mental health.
This year, the theme is empathy.
When someone is struggling, you don’t have to fix their pain. Tune in and see through their eyes. This is empathy.
You can understand even if you don’t agree. Understand someone’s feelings. This is empathy.
We may be different but we’re not on different sides. See the world as others do. This is empathy.
The campaign calls for us to #GetReal about how we really feel and is based on the insight that people in Canada commonly ask one another how we are but that it is also common not to provide – or expect – a truthful answer. Many of us say we’re fine, even when we don’t mean it. ‘Fine’ keeps us at arm’s length from real social connections with others. Every time we just go through the motions, we miss a chance to connect with others in a meaningful way. Each year, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental illness or mental health issue, but 5 in 5 Canadians have mental health — meaning we all need social connection, healthy habits, and the resources and supports we need to stay healthy.
When evaluating your mental health, or that of someone you care about, consider this Mental Health Continuum Model. Below are two graphics showing the symptoms of each stage of the continuum and the resources recommended for each stage.
This Mental Health Week, take time to pay attention to your current state of mental wellbeing, as well as that of your family friends, and co-workers. How are you doing? How are they doing? Take this time to have compassion and care for yourself, and compassion and empathy for others. Remember simple care, concern and listening is all someone may need.
We have planned the relaunch and rebranding of the Calltime Mental Health website to coincide with Mental Health Week. If you’re new to the site or haven’t visited in a while, check out our blog post announcing the launch and reviewing some of the key features of the site.
There is something appealing about enjoying the small details of cafe culture, especially when the focus stays on the details people might otherwise overlook. The pace and atmosphere of a place can matter as much as what is in the cup. That thought gives me a starting point for exploring cafe culture and coffee in connection with Bottleroom. That is the part I would keep thinking about after moving on to something else. Which small details make you want to sit for a little longer?
A discussion of finding the character of a local meeting place seems more useful when it connects an idea with something easy to picture. An ordinary conversation can become part of the reason people remember a place. With Bootinneskdale in mind, local pub culture feels like a topic worth exploring one question at a time. I would rather explore one useful example carefully than pretend that the whole subject is already clear. What makes a local meeting spot feel welcoming to a first-time visitor?
Considering creating welcoming community activities, I would want to understand a few concrete details before deciding what matters most. A small shared activity can help people contribute without needing to know everyone in advance. It is the kind of question I would keep in mind when thinking about Birminghamsoup and community participation ideas. I can imagine different responses depending on the situation, which makes the question more interesting. What would make an invitation easier for a newcomer to accept?
There is something appealing about building confidence around water-based activities, especially when the focus stays on the details people might otherwise overlook. Clear preparation can make an unfamiliar activity easier to understand before taking part. For Berkshiresailing, I would use water activity awareness as a starting point for a closer discussion of the subject. It leaves me curious about the steps between understanding an idea and putting it into practice. What would a beginner want explained before joining a session near or on the water?
I find making outdoor adventures more approachable easier to approach when there is a familiar situation to start from. A realistic plan leaves room for changes in conditions and in how people feel along the way. It is the kind of question I would keep in mind when thinking about Aveling Adventure and outdoor activity planning. The smaller details are what I would want to return to, especially when an explanation feels too broad. What would you check before deciding how much to fit into an outdoor day?