Partners for Mental Health launches inaugural campaign, ‘Not Myself Today,’ to transform the way Canadians think about, act towards and treat mental health

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Apr 02, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release, follow link below to view.

This April, ‘Not Myself Today’ will mobilize Canadians from coast-to-coast to join a social movement with the aim of transforming the way we think about, act towards and support mental health. This campaign will encourage each and every Canadian to sign an online pledge at notmyselftoday.ca in support of mental health.

Across Canada, 7 million people will experience a mental health issue this year, but only one-third of those living with a mental illness are likely to seek and receive the services they need. Now is the time to make a change.

The pledges of support will signal to governments, health institutions, corporations and individuals that today’s status quo around mental health is not acceptable, and demonstrate that Canadians are willing to do something about it.

The ‘Not Myself Today’ campaign is spearheaded by Partners for Mental Health, a national charitable organization that is committed to creating a new state of mind in Canada as it relates to mental health.

‘Not Myself Today’ asks Canadians to imagine what it might be like to live with the feeling of not being yourself for not just one day, but for many days, and then having to live with the shame, discrimination and lack of treatment and support that often goes with it.

“All Canadians have had days when they didn’t feel like themselves – maybe they have felt anxious, stressed or even depressed – paying attention to these feelings is part of taking care of one’s own mental health,” says Partners for Mental Health President Jeff Moat. “It is our hope that Canadians will begin to think about their own and others’ mental health, to learn about the serious gaps that exist today in treatment, support services, research, funding and public understanding, and rally together to show compassion and solidarity for those living with mental illness.”

Throughout April, Canadians can visit notmyselftoday.ca to sign an online pledge for mental health and pin their mood to a virtual map of Canada that will be populated throughout the month. Canadians can also join the conversation by posting videos, audio recordings or short essays online about their own personal experiences with mental health, and by connecting with Partners for Mental Health and Not Myself Today on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

During the first two weeks of the campaign ‘Not Myself Today’ will also be searching for Community Correspondents, individuals who will report on the pulse of mental health in 16 major cities across Canada and on campaign happenings in their own community. Those interested in applying can visit Facebook.com/partnersformh for more details.

To-date, campaign supporters include Canadian singer-songwriter Amy Sky, R&B star JRDN and Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. These Canadian personalities will help rally the public to get involved with the ‘Not Myself Today’ campaign and take the online pledge. Quebec campaign spokesperson Jacques Hendlisz, former Director General of the Douglas University Mental Health Institute, will rally French-speaking Canadians to join the movement.

All events and activities occurring throughout April will culminate in a final Day of Action on April 30, 2012. Events will take place in schools and workplaces across the country to help Canadians learn more about mental health issues and the opportunities to transform the way we think, act towards and support mental health in Canada. For more information about the campaign and how to get involved, visit www.notmyselftoday.ca

Partners for Mental Health

Partners for Mental Health is a national charitable organization that is committed to creating a new state of mind in Canada regarding mental health that is free of shame and rich in support and understanding.

Partners for Mental Health began as a strategic initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), and is now a registered operating charity and independent from the MHCC.

Partners for Mental Health is dedicated to catalyzing a social movement that will transform the way Canadians think and act towards their own mental health, and towards people living with a mental illness.

Partners for Mental Health will implement several national campaigns annually to enable Canadians to take action to support the mental health cause.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20120402-NMTgrp800.jpg.

Contacts:
Media contact:
Lauren Rivietz
416 365-3630 x230lauren.r@nkpr.net
www.notmyselftoday.ca
www.Facebook.com/partnersformh
Twitter @NMTcanada (EN)
@JNMRP (FR)

SOURCE: Partners for Mental Health
lauren.r@nkpr.net

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

Reproduced from http://www.marketwatch.com/story/not-myself-today-every-canadian-encouraged-to-pledge-support-and-map-their-mood-this-april-2012-04-02