Mental Health Week 2022: Empathy

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.

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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.

#GetReal #MentalHealthWeek