What is the Bell “Let’s Talk” Campaign
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many Canadians to take on feelings of stress and anxiety. It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed as we continue to tackle the pandemic, and people living with mental health challenges may find it especially difficult to cope.
Bell’s “Let’s Talk” annual mental health initiative is January 28, 2021. “Let’s Talk” is intended to promote awareness of mental illness and help people take action to seek out the support and treatment they need. The campaign is based on four pillars:
- Fighting the stigma that is often associated with mental health issues
- Improving access to care for people facing mental health challenges
- Fostering workplaces that support mental wellness
- Supporting ongoing world-class research
In case you don’t know how it works, Bell will donate 5¢ towards mental health initiatives in Canada, for every text, call, tweet, Instagram post, Facebook video view and Snapchat geo filter on January 25th, regardless of your cell phone carrier. To learn how you can participate (e.g., text, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) click HERE.
Personal Injury and Your Mental Well-Being
If you, or someone you know or love, have ever suffered from chronic pain or faced a debilitating injury (like a spinal cord injury or concussion) you likely already know that it is not uncommon to add coping with a mental illness to the list of recovery challenges. Depression associated with chronic pain, the loss of mobility or a head injury, are very common. These challenges can be compounded by the logistical problems and social isolation impacts of the pandemic. The pandemic has affected access to rehabilitation facilities, transportation access, and created backlogs on surgical waiting lists. That added frustration doesn’t help when you are trying to maintain a positive focus on recovery – we get that.
The message we want to send is that you don’t need to suffer in silence and nor should you. There is support for mental health challenges unique to these unprecedented times. For example, telemedicine is improving by leaps and bounds and your employer may have set up access to online EAP resources – it’s worth asking. Mental illness is treatable and acknowledging there is a problem or that you are hurting should not be stigmatized if we want people to feel comfortable seeking and getting the help they need.
That anti-stigma message is a big part of what #BellLetsTalk is all about. It gets the ball rolling for the other three pillars of the strategy.
What’s great about the “Let’s Talk” campaign is that you don’t have to be a Bell customer to show your support.
Why Talking About Mental Illness is Important
We believe that endorsing Bell’s anti-stigma message will help open access to support for people (injured and caregivers alike) who endure the effects of mental illness as a result of concussions, traumatic brain injuries, or depression due to chronic pain, spinal cord injuries or other serious injuries.
Some brain injury victims may never fully recover and may be left with one or more cognitive, emotional, or physical deficits. These injuries may lead to emotional exhaustion, behaviour changes, or depressive or anxious periods that can result in further social isolation and hinder progress toward recovery. Similarly, being the caregiver of a partner or child with a chronic injury can produce the same kind of anxiety, depression, and sense of being overwhelmed. Talking about these feelings is always the first step to identifying an action plan to resolving the situation.
You are not Alone
CAM LLP lawyers are experienced in representing victims of traumatic brain, head and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries and concussions that almost always have mental health impacts. We have the experience and compassion to help our clients and their caregivers identify and access the resources they need to manage mental health issues during what can sometimes be a very long recovery process.
You Matter
Your mental health is important. Knowing when to speak up about depression, generalized anxiety or PTSD is crucial to receiving adequate care and support from medical professionals, lawyers, family, and friends. We encourage you to take part in Bell’s Let’s Talk initiative to create awareness, drive understanding and ultimately normalize the occurrence of mental health issues in relation to an injury or otherwise.
To learn more about the following personal injuries, click the links below:
To start preparing for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign, be sure to #BellLetsTalk on Twitter or Instagram, or watch the videos on Facebook. For each of these actions, Bell will donate 5¢ more to mental health initiatives.
For more information on how you can show your support click here.
