Mental Health Week

Mental health is an important theme running through my book, BREAKDOWN. Chris Ryder juggles advocating for his clients who face the stigma of having a mental illness, while struggling with his own debilitating symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.

Unfortunately, stigma associated with mental illness is not fiction but a very real part of daily life for many mental health consumers. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is one of several health organizations increasing awareness around issues of mental health through mentalhealthweek.ca. It’s also promising to see celebrities and athletes talking frankly about their personal struggles, as we slowly move away from shame and blame, to the point where having symptoms of mental illness become considered only a small part of who an individual is, rather than being defined and confined by her/his illness.