Arthur Gallant 2013-05-22T15:12:51-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=arthur-gallant Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Arthur Gallant Good old fashioned elbow grease. We Need To Spot Mental Distress In Teens Before It's Too Late tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3316311 2013-05-22T07:52:43-04:00 2013-05-22T08:13:45-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/ study was released yesterday that suggested youth exposed to suicide from their peers were more likely to attempt it themselves. The study, titled "Association between exposure to suicide and suicidality outcomes in youth," was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and authored by Sonja Swanson and Ian Coleman.

The study suggests that youth 12 to 13 years old were most likely to commit suicide when exposed to their friends' suicides, while youth 16 to 17 years old were least likely -- though a trend was still noted in this category. Researchers used data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children & Youth from 1998 to 2007. This study speaks volumes despite lacking geographical data, whether or not the youth had a history of mental illness, and other factors.

I have blogged extensively about my previous suicide attempts, the uphill battle I faced, and how grateful I am to survive. I am not surprised that researchers are suggesting youth of 12 and 13 years old are most vulnerable. I want all of you to think about your experience in grade 7 and 8. Think about the events that unfolded. You started dating, puberty was in full force, you were getting ready for high school, and social etiquette was always on your mind. Maybe social media didn't exist yet while you were in school, but I'm almost certain it is proving challenging to young people within social circles.

Middle school and high school can be a very trying and challenging time for young people; it is why I dropped out. As a mental health advocate, I cringe at admitting that I am not surprised at what the study is suggesting. Many young people often befriend one other person -- calling themselves best friends forever, or BFFs. They tend to affect and influence each other.

However BFFs can offer a tremendous offer of support to each other. Therefore it doesn't surprise me if a youth kills themselves, that their closest friend contemplates it. I am in no way agreeing that suicide is OK (in fact I'm doing the exact opposite), but as somebody with relevant experience I do empathize with youth in these situations. I can't imagine what it is like to lose my best friend and it is easy to see the temptation youth face and the thoughts they face during the grieving process.

I believe more research is needed to investigate in-depth what the study is suggesting to get a much clearer understanding of the facts. School boards are underfunded and teachers are overworked. But as I have a habit of saying in this forum: "Lives are at stake." We cannot put a price on a life.

Teachers must be trained to identify emotional distress in students, and any subtle changes must be noted. But we also must teach other kids about emotional health in school, just as we teach them about sex, drugs, and Shakespeare. Parents and caregivers need to be more observant of their children, and have open lines of communication with the school. We must teach our kids it's OK for them to say they're not OK.]]> Why I Want My Mental Health Records tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3242096 2013-05-09T12:36:41-04:00 2013-05-09T12:40:22-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
Every client of the mental health system knows that at every appointment you attend with your health care team, whether it be doctors or therapists, notes are taken and stored in your file. The same goes for youth in care especially those living in group homes. A report is written on you every eight hours. Now in my case, multiply one report every eight hours for nine years. Now add in incident reports, serious occurrence reports, plan of cares, report cards, psychiatric reports, etc. Visualize how much documentation that is for one client. It's a lot, and I've obtained some of it.

Since being discharged from the Children's Aid Society over five years ago I have struggled to obtain my files from various agencies that were in charge of my care at various points during my time as a Crown Ward. It took me over four years to get CAS to release their files to me which consisted of dozens of file folders and envelopes that overflowed a Bankers Box. Why did it take four years, you ask? Bureaucracy is why it took four years! Nobody could decide as to if somebody should go through the files with me, who should be the one to release them to me, heck CAS had to spend time looking into where my files were located. But at least I finally got them!

While CAS was my legal guardian (as appointed by the Province of Ontario), other agencies were in charge of my care day to day and they too have hundreds of documents solely about me, my strengths, my weaknesses, and the challenges I endured as a child living a colorful childhood. At least six agencies were in charge of my care while I was a Crown Ward.

Child protection agencies are legislated and licensed in Canada by the provinces in which they're located. That means the agencies I was a client of were overseen by Ontario government officials. There's a lot of legislation and policies that agencies must follow in order to remain licensed and to be funded by tax dollars. However, Ontario lacks legislation as to how and if an agency should release its records to former clients. Each agency is free to write its own policy.

A couple agencies I've contacted have quickly set up a meeting with me to review the files and to surrender copies to me with names of clients and staff omitted. Other agencies I've talked to lack a policy and are completely clueless as whether not they should and are even allowed to release my records to me. One agency told me to go back to CAS who then told me they weren't allowed to release files on me not authored by them, which is understandable.

Many people have asked me why I want to see my files so badly. It is because I am curious to know what they say. There are thousands of reports and pages all about me. It's like somebody authored my life story, or at least the most interesting parts. Wouldn't you want to read all about your life authored by somebody else? In addition to my intense curiosity I believe valuable information exists in them too such as medical records and reports that could be useful to my day-to-day treatment as a mental health consumer.

I am calling on Teresa Piruzza, Minister of Child & Youth Services and her staff to establish a province-wide policy as to how clients and former clients requests get handled around releasing records to them. There's too much uncertainty around how people can obtain their records. Do the right thing, lets give clarity to people who have so many unanswered questions about an already complicated and colourful life!]]> Why Mental Health Week Is So Important To Me tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3220696 2013-05-05T22:40:30-04:00 2013-05-07T10:51:14-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/ The Centre for Addiction & Mental Health and the Canadian Mental Health Association -- have declared May 6-12, 2013 Mental Health Week while Children's Mental Health Ontario has declared this week to be Children's Mental Health Week.

As a mental health advocate you can imagine I wait all year round for Mental Health Week, it's like a mid-year holiday or celebration for me. And while there's a lot to celebrate in terms of how far we have come in terms of support for those with mental illness, we still have a lot of work to do.

I'm sometimes asked why there's still need for an awareness week in order for us to talk about mental illness and how we can improve our own mental well being. My opinion is that this week exists to better educate the public about mental illness. We're over a decade into the new millennium and mental illness is still a taboo topic. On one hand there is still a steady stream of stigma around mental illness, on the other hand we're giving power to those who stigmatize by refusing to talk about mental illness.

I don't mean to pick favourites but Children's Mental Health Week has a very special place in my heart. I was born to a mother with mental illness and when I was nine years old I started feeling intense anxiety that kept me awake at night and even home from school some days. Fast-forward 14 years later and I am one of many success stories of people who can live with mental illness while still being able to live an active and productive life. Children are our leaders of tomorrow and its critical that we are able to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness to be able treat it so we can give our kids the same opportunities in life that are given to those without mental illness.

According to a Health Canada report on mental illness published in 2002, one in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. The other four will know somebody with mental illness. In an analysis last year from The Conference Board of Canada the amount of lost productivity in the workplace is costing the Canadian economy an estimated $20 Billion per year and that number is estimated to be closer to $30 Billion by 2030.

All levels governments must act now to ensure funding is secured and in fact increased to give people with mental illness a chance and so people don't have to take time off work for a challenge or an illness that is highly treatable.

I encourage everybody to spend a few moments this week educating themselves and learning more about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, by doing so you could help save a life and it could even be your own. For readers struggling with mental illness alone let this week be the week you finally seek help and treatment. And for employers, consider how you can make your workplace more accepting for those with mental illness if you don't already do so.

We can all make a difference when it comes to mental health and mental illness. Let this be the week that you do your part!]]> We Need To Stop Blaming The Victim tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3176160 2013-04-29T11:26:59-04:00 2013-04-29T11:34:45-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
The world seems to be turning into a more negative place. I don't challenge the fact that we are hungry for answers and with technology evolving at a rapid pace we are able to ask our questions and seek answers within seconds of an incident occurring. But we also appear to be rushing to conclusions without all the facts in front of us. The burning question on our collective minds is "Whose to blame for this happening?" whenever a story feels like a knife going through our hearts.

In our quest to get answers in record time, we seem to be frequently blaming victims more and more for what happens to them. The death of Rehtaeh Parsons has riveted the country and has made international headlines. In a recent blog post Parsons' father Glen Canning called out Christie Blatchford for suggesting Parsons actions led to her being victimized.

Several years ago I was the victim of constant verbal gay bashing that led to a mental breakdown. The first question the crisis worker asked me was "Have you ever considered not acting so flamboyant?" My reply was "Are you blaming me for being targeted?" and her reply was "I'm just saying maybe if you toned it down maybe they would be nicer to you." So in other words I brought on the homophobia for something beyond my control. Gotcha!

People with mental illness have been blamed for their own mistreatment for years. There's a lot of stigma surrounding mental health and I am proud to share my story and talk about it. But a lot of people who do are retaliated against more often then I'd like to admit. Sometimes it's a result of simply announcing they have mental illness, other times it's a result of displaying the symptoms associated with our mental illness.

Why does everything have to be about fault? When we're assigning blame why rush to blame somebody? I am sick and tired of hearing people saying, "Well maybe if they didn't do this or act like that then maybe they wouldn't be targeted." My book of personal pet peeves is thicker then the dictionary but you don't see me targeting people who have done questionable or even immoral things.

Instead of targeting people or making them feel guilty about something beyond their control lets have a discussion about it. Lets talk about why these things make us feel so uncomfortable. Knowledge is power and it could save lives. Instead of assigning blame lets not rush to judgement and allow the authorities to do a thorough job. I am all for accountable and while I am an advocate for public pressure we also need to put trust in those appointed to investigate.

Most importantly, lets stop blaming the victim!]]> Like Bodies, Minds Need Regular Check-Ups tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3030277 2013-04-08T08:01:28-04:00 2013-04-07T23:10:15-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
My doctor undoubtedly knows of my mental illness and is frequently inquiring about my mental state when I see her. Other than that, she doesn't examine my mind in the same way she examines my body. I'm not proposing she do a biopsy on my brain each time but doing something more in-depth then asking me "Have you had any suicidal thoughts lately?" might be better for me, but it will ultimately enhance my medical records if there was more information in them than "On April 2, patient is not suicidal."

I understand that my doctor is only a general practitioner and there are better trained and more qualified professionals to examine and treat my mental illness. The truth is my mental illness is chronic; it is life long. While I will have my good days and my bad days, my good years and my bad years I wish my doctor would acknowledge my mental illness is never going away. Therefore I believe she must treat it the same way she would treat any other illness that has the potential to go into remission.

In December, I asked my doctor to refer me to a therapist in my community that is funded through the public healthcare system. My doctor immediately inquired, as she should as to whether or not things were OK with me. I truthfully told her things were just fine but it had been almost a year since my last therapy session and I needed that confirmation that things were still OK. At the same time I was feeling a little moody and more anxious than usual and urged her to refer me for a mental health checkup.

I told my doctor that I wanted to see the therapist for the same reason I see my family doctor every few months. While I'm relatively healthy I still like seeing her to get my vitals checked, get my blood work checked and so on. A couple times my doctor has caught minor things that have required treatment, and here I thought I was seeing her for nothing. Therefore, isn't there a potential the therapist might catch something that could improve my mental state and/or quality of life and ultimately prevent a mental health crisis?

Last week the therapist's office called getting more information about the referral from my doctor and then said, "I don't get it Arthur. You're feeling OK but you still want to meet with a therapist? Almost everybody comes to therapy when they're in a crisis." The truth is that I want to prevent a mental health crisis. My last mental health crisis changed my life in the most negative of ways. I don't know if/when my next crisis will be but I want to take every measure possible to stall or even prevent one.

Health care costs eat up a lot of our tax dollars and a lot emphasis is being put on us to have our bodies examined and tested on a regular basis. It's not only good for our bodies, but also its good for our wallets. Surely meeting with a taxpayer-funded therapist must be a heck of a lot cheaper then spending time in an acute psychiatric facility, if it can be prevented. At the same time it is just common sense to have a healthy mind to prevent the onset of a mental health crisis. Far too many times mental illness takes people by surprise and are shocked to be diagnosed with it, yet when they do they acknowledge they weren't feeling well. Maybe it's stigma, maybe its something else but as a society we fail to acknowledge our mind plays a role as to the condition of our physical state.

I encourage everybody reading my blog to talk to his or her doctor about having a mental examination. It could change your life!

]]> Dr. Phil Crossed the Line on His Show tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3010934 2013-04-04T12:38:15-04:00 2013-04-04T12:43:39-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
Earlier this year I wrote a blog titled "How we portray mental health on TV matters" where I expressed that Hollywood has a responsibility to accurately portray mental illness and to start a conversation. I noted that some fictional television shows were doing just that and a mighty good job, in fact. While I wished more television shows would talk about mental illness, one of them didn't do such a good job of it recently.

I couldn't help but feel outraged while watching an episode of Dr. Phil yesterday. A guest on the show named Tonya said she talked to celebrities in her head such as Barack Obama, Clint Eastwood, the Kardashians, and even Dr. Phil himself. Tonya's family believes she has a form of mental illness while Tonya disagrees.

I'm not a doctor and when it comes to mental illness, I am non-judgmental. But I will judge what unfolded on the show. I'm not going to add my two cents as to whether or not I think Tonya has mental illness.

In order to appear on the show Tonya had to sign a consent form agreeing to have her story told to millions of viewers. I don't know if Tonya received any incentives to appear on the show such as free transportation and accommodations in Los Angeles that may have possibly motivated her to appear. I also don't have any knowledge of off-camera discussions that Tonya had with the producers or Dr. Phil. Tonya is a consenting adult and it's safe to assume she willfully appeared on the show.

I feel like Tonya was in a very raw state and maybe I take issue with watching her because it brings back memories of what things were like for me during the early stages of my mental illness. However, as much as I advocate for talking about mental illness publicly I also believe parts of one's treatment should be done in private. Speculating about somebody's diagnosis and trying to expose their symptoms is something I believe should be done privately, not in a television studio in front of millions of people.

I felt like Dr. Phil wasn't very compassionate or polite when interviewing Tonya. At one point during the interview he questioned her about her supposed relationship with Rob Kardashian and after Tonya offered up some details Dr. Phil replied, "I know the Kardashians very well. I just talked to them a few days ago they've never mentioned you." While Tonya likely didn't talk to the Kardashians, I believe Dr. Phil could have come across as more sympathetic. I feel like he came off as rude when a different approach would have likely been more beneficial to Tonya.

I will not disagree with the fact that 'doctor shows' make a great attempt at helping people and offering them resources that may be unavailable in their communities or that they're unable to afford. But at what point does it become exploiting to the guests needing help? I'll be honest, I do watch Dr. Phil on a regular basis and I even own a couple of his books. But I believe he and his producers missed the mark with this particular episode.

I want to reiterate that nobody should be ashamed of having a mental illness nor should they be ashamed of people witnessing their symptoms. At the same time we are all entitled to privacy but should also discuss at what cost that comes to all of us when it comes to getting treatment.

]]> How My Mental Illness Has Added Years To My Life tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2891102 2013-03-18T08:52:44-04:00 2013-05-18T05:12:01-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
The Schizophrenia Society of Canada recently asked their Twitter followers: Does anyone feel you've lost years of your life because of mental illness?

The question got me thinking because I, too, am curious how many people believe they have had years of their life taken from them or wish they could remember the peak and intensity of their mental illness in a more positive fashion. I've no doubt experienced moments that I never want to relive nor would I ever want anybody else to experience either.

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I live by the infamous saying, "Everything happens for a reason" because I believe one event in our lives leads to the next. I truly believe life is like playing dominos, if you play it in your own unique way things will fall in place in the way that you meant them to. But remember the golden rule in integers in math class? Two negatives equal a positive. While two wrongs make a right may only apply in math, the beauty is if things don't happen the way you hope they do you can always go back and try again.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, I believe my mental illness has helped to shape my life in a very positive fashion. Each and every one of us has a calling in life. When I was a very young child, my grandmother sat me down and said "Arthur, you are going to grow up and do something very positive with your life." For the longest time I have wondered what my grandmother meant by that and sadly I no longer have the opportunity to ask her.

A few months ago I was in Los Angeles on vacation and I got to meet a few celebrities and it got me thinking "What will their legacy be?" but then I asked myself "What will my legacy be?" and the truth is that I'm only beginning to build my legacy.

Statistically speaking I have 55 to 60 years to build my legacy, but as I look to the future I don't want my mental illness to define me. Nor do I think it should it define anybody else. Rather, I want to be looked at as turning a challenging experience into a positive one. And over the coming decades I will continue to finish what I've only just begun to do. I will continue to fight for the rights of those with mental illness. I will continue to advocate for change and reform, for laws to be changed, for more funding. And I will continue to be aggressive in my fight to challenge and end mental health stigma.

Getting out of bed each and every day is difficult and some days I want to concede to defeat. But I will not let my mental illness defeat me, I will defeat it. This is why and how mental illness has not only added years to my life, but it has improved my quality of life.]]> Why I'm Afraid I Could End Up Like Mindy McCready tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2712513 2013-02-19T08:19:20-05:00 2013-04-21T05:12:02-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
I must admit, I have been following the challenges of Mindy McCready very closely. Not because I found her downward spiral to be entertaining but because I felt like I could relate to some of the things she was experiencing. I didn't know McCready but a lot of the times I heard myself say "I went through that" or some of her challenges felt all too real that I saw myself potentially going through them.

I have experienced a lot of stuff in the first 23 years of my life, which has led me to becoming a mental health advocate. I am not ashamed of what I've experienced nor do I ever hold back when speaking publicly but everybody has their limits as to what they choose to share. But after the death of McCready I can no longer hold back something that has always worried me.

In my posting "Why I'm glad I didn't succeed at ending my life" I talked about why I was grateful I'm still living because, as I've learned, I have a lot to live for. I saw that first hand after my two suicide attempts.

After my first suicide attempt I said "I'm never going to do that again," but as we all know I tried a second time. I need to stress that I am not suicidal but I do wonder a lot of the time if something will push me so over the edge that I will try for a third time? Will I really want to die or will it be a desperate plea for help?


Mindy's ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight appeared on NBC's The Today Show on Monday and said "As sad as it is, it didn't come as a major shock because she's just been battling demons for so long,''

That hit home for me. Could there be a point in which my demons catch up to me? Many people don't realize that I am a consumer of the mental health system as much as I am an advocate fighting publicly for better services for those with mental illness. But I deal with stigma on a daily basis; even from those that say they care. I got to admit, its difficult for me to swallow my pride to get help. Why? Because I'm afraid I will be viewed as a failure by those who look to me to advise them on how to improve the mental health system.

I will always have highs and lows and I will always live with angels and demons inside of me. I have received help in the past and I know I will again in the future. And I pray on a daily basis that things that will never become so bad in which I feel like I have lost all control that could lead me to making a life changing decision that will be bad for me, but even worse for my family and friends

]]> Finally Working Together on Mental Health tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2708207 2013-02-18T12:55:34-05:00 2013-04-20T05:12:01-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
This post is not about the art of negotiation and how to do it properly, but why we must work together for the better of those with mental illness.

Last November I was appointed Co-Chairman of the Service User Expert Panel in the Provincial Services Support Program at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health in Toronto. For the next 18 months to 2 years the panel will be focusing on the experience of children and youth in the mental health system, as well as the challenges they face when transitioning to the adult mental health system, which I blogged about in my post "When Is A Mentally Ill Child Ready for Adult Treatment?"

In my role as Co-Chairman I recently attended a conference as CAMH launched their "Systems Improvement through Service Collaboratives Program" as part of Ontario's "Open Minds Healthy Minds" mental health and addiction's strategy. After listening to keynote speeches and panels from international professionals and speakers, I walked away from the conference with a lot of information. So much that I needed to take a couple of days to absorb it all and really understand how I could use all of this knowledge to my advantage.

Something every single speaker stressed was that the government, caregivers, and patients must all work together. It sounds easy, but from the standpoint of a mental health consumer it really is easier said then done. I know because I've experienced the disconnect between all the parties first hand. The reason for the disconnect is complex but one thing was made clear at the conference: We must all look at the key areas, figure out why there is a disconnect, determine what can be done to fix it, and get down to work.

What must be remembered is that those with addictions and mental illness are the ultimate stakeholders here. Whatever decision the system makes, whether it comes from the front lines or the Premier's Office, will have an effect on the care patients receive. Lives are at stake.

For as long as I've been a consumer advocate for government and mental health and addictions agencies, I have always met with consumers talking about improvements that should be made to the system. But until recently I always got the vibe that these advisory panels were held to "save face" rather then because the decision makers were truly looking to make a difference. Don't get me wrong, I know my opinions and feedback have always been valued; but it has nonetheless been frustrating spending so much time advocating for improvements only to see so little done.

I had two opportunities to speak at this last conference and even more opportunity to mingle, but something I stressed is that we must stop spending so much time figuring out how to solve the problems of tomorrow. Instead we must begin to solve the problems of today. It's great to think we're looking so far ahead, but progress won't be made until we begin to peel the onion rather then going right to the core.

We will always have our differences, but for the first time in a long time I truly felt like those who have the ability to create change will do so. And now more then ever the powers that be will involve the true stakeholders: the consumer advocates. It won't be easy and there will be plenty of hiccups and disagreements along the way. But we've made a promise and we're going to keep it -- we are all going to work together.

The opinions and views expressed in this posting are strictly those of Arthur Gallant and may not reflect those of The Centre for Addiction & Mental Health.
]]> ING's Commercial Mocked My Mental Illness tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2530027 2013-01-23T12:40:54-05:00 2013-03-25T05:12:01-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
The best kind of marketing is the kind that makes you talk about a business based on their advertisement and to associate certain things with their brand. These businesses typically are sometimes silly with their commercials or even use metaphors to get their point across. However, one business took their advertising too far.




With the RSP contribution deadline quickly creeping up on all of us a lot of Canadians are considering whether or not to put aside some money for retirement or paying off debt instead. It something that has a lot of people undoubtedly stressed out about including myself. To demonstrate this ING Direct Canada released a marketing campaign titled "Are You Suffering?"

As part of the campaign ING released a commercial of a man who appeared to be alone, detached, and the man says he's been losing sleep and not eating solid foods. The man says he is cured of his symptoms once his wife steps in and takes him to ING to open an RSP.

I'm not a medical doctor but the first thing that occurred to me was this man was living with depression. Banking and money in general is stressful and the recession saw many people take their own lives. I do understand the point ING was trying to make but I feel like the bank crossed a line by mocking depression symptoms, which I have personally experienced, and so have many of you. In my opinion this commercial only furthered the stigma those with mental illness face.

Many others took to Twitter and Facebook by informing ING of their distaste for their latest advertising campaign. But by yesterday afternoon the bank decided to pull the commercials off the air after caving into pressure from mental health advocates and customers.



In a statement to Marketing Magazine Mark Nicholson the head of digital, creative and communications ING Direct Canada spokesman is quoted as saying,

"As a result of feedback we've received through social media, we've decided to remove our RSP spot from TV. It was never our intention to make light of any health conditions relating to mental illness, or to upset or offend anyone suffering from serious conditions like depression. It's clear our message about stress and anxiety around RSPs was misinterpreted, and we feel it's best to stop airing the ad."


In response to Mr. Nicholson's statement I have this to say: Thank you for pulling the ads off the air, better late then never. I do not believe viewers or customers misinterpreted your ad. Your bank, in collaboration with your marketing agency, made an incorrect judgment call as to how you thought people feel about saving for retirement. Mental illness is serious and approximately one in three people will experience mental illness in their lifetime. I almost guarantee some ING employees will or have experienced mental illness in their lifetime. I hope you'll take use this opportunity as a lesson and become more educated as to the challenges people with mental illness face and the toll it can take on their lives and their families.

This was not a case of people being overly offended, it was a case of marketing gone wrong and crossing the line. I hope all businesses and marketing agencies reading this will think twice before they launch their next advertising campaign. Most importantly I hope these businesses and all of you ask yourselves "Will this offend somebody?" before you speak publicly.

]]> How We Portray Mental Health on TV Matters tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2436699 2013-01-09T12:13:17-05:00 2013-03-11T05:12:01-04:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/ "Art may imitate life, but life can never imitate art." -Author Unknown

I'm often asked what has been done to eliminate mental health stigma, what is currently being done to eliminate stigma, and what still has to be done. It's a loaded question and one that's not easy to answer; especially when I'm asked over social media where characters are limited and the things I say can sometimes be taken out of context.

Mental health has been at the top of the headlines since the Sandy Hook tragedy and now since the preliminary hearing has begun for alleged Aurora, Colorado mass shooter James Holmes. I am saddened that it took these tragedies to make mental health a talking point whether it's on local or national newscasts or even around the water cooler at work. While we can't reverse the damage caused by the tragedies we can create change to potentially avert future tragedies.

I've had a lot of fun recently engaging in debates with friends and mental health colleagues as to whether or not Hollywood has a responsibility to bring social issues to the forefront in the product it produces. Half of my friends believe highlighting the struggles of those with mental illness in a fictional manner only furthers the stigma and conforms to popular beliefs and stereotypes. The other half believes Hollywood has the ability to use its magic to accurately depict the day-to-day life of those with mental illness while also showing what happens when people do and don't seek treatment.

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And now for the tie-breaker...it is my opinion that, if done properly, Hollywood should depict both sides of any social issue that is a talking point amongst either politicians and/or the general public. Only Hollywood has the power to write things so perfectly and give a balance, that's part of the magic. As sad as it is people tend to get sucked into a lot more to a drama then they do reality TV. I've heard stories of countless actors and actresses being approached by hardcore fans in airports over something they did while in character. If people are this obsessed with shows such as soap operas maybe they won't tolerate something like mental health stigma if the character's on the show doesn't.

Mental health is currently on the forefront of two TV shows that I'm keeping an eye on. The first is The Young & The Restless in which Sharon Newman does some questionable things to the concern of her loved ones that includes starting a fire. Eventually Sharon is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and seeks treatment for her mental health difficulties. Sharon's family and friends don't judge her and stick by her as she gets help for the challenges facing her. This storyline has taken place over the past few months but I praise the writers for their diligence in how mental illness has been depicted and feel the show has done their part in helping to eliminate mental health stigma.

Meanwhile up here in Canada, CBC premiered a show last night called Cracked. The show, while fictional, depicts stories inspired by real-life experiences of mental-health professionals and police officers on the front lines.

After speaking with mental health colleagues before the premiere of Cracked there was a lot of concerns that the show may unintentionally showcase people with mental health difficulties in an unfavourable way or potentially violent and therefore advancing the stigma. My colleagues (or as I like to call them, the jury) are still deliberating but I've come to a verdict.

It would be wrong not to accurately depict what front-line officers encounter and sometimes they are called to respond to people with mental illness who could be harming themselves or at high risk of harming others. But the show must find a balance, which I feel it did last night but showing the mental health difficulties of the main character while allowing him to use his personal difficulties to relate to the people he has a duty to respond to.

I hope to see more shows in the future bring mental health to the forefront to quash stigma. It's in everybody's interest!]]> No Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card for Colorado Shooting Suspect tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2404276 2013-01-03T17:35:00-05:00 2013-03-05T05:12:01-05:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/ A preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin next week for alleged mass shooter James Holmes. Holmes is accused of killing 12 people at a screening of The Dark Knight last summer in Aurora, Colorado.

A preliminary hearing is a proceeding before the court in which the prosecution must prove there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. This will be first time the public and the media will get a glimpse at the evidence against Holmes, and we should get an idea of what kind of defense Holmes' lawyers will use should the case proceed to trial.

Holmes has not entered a plea yet. However, media reports say Holmes' lawyers believe their client to be mentally ill. This could open the door to an insanity defense.

In Canada, the standards for such a defense are a little different. Section 16 of the Criminal Code says, "No person is criminally responsible for an act committed or an omission made while suffering from a mental disorder that rendered the person incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the act or omission or of knowing that it was wrong."

I was recently standing in line for dinner in a food court and I overheard two uneducated people joking about how they could shoot up a place, say they were crazy and then not go to jail. It's true, those found not criminally responsible don't typically go to jail, but they are put into a secure psychiatric facility indefinitely. The accused's case is reviewed annually by a provincial review board. In Ontario, that's the Ontario Review Board.

There appears to be an assumption that those found not criminally responsible will be put into a psychiatric facility and released shortly after. A Quebec man released just 4 years after being found not criminally responsible of killing his children has only fueled this belief.

In truth, the goal of treatment facilities and the courts isn't to punish those found not criminally responsible for their crimes. It is to rehabilitate those with severe mental illness and mental disorders so they can be functioning members of society. It is an opportunity for them to learn more about their mental illness so it can be treated, something that likely didn't happen before their offense.

It is only human to want to see somebody pay for and be punished for their crimes. Heck, even I'm guilty of thinking "Where's a cop when you need one?" after somebody runs through a red light. As the old saying goes, "There are exceptions to every rule".

I have never been the victim of a crime nor do I know of anybody who has been the victim of a heinous crime. But I can understand wanting the harshest penalty possible for somebody who victimized somebody close to me. Yet, though the reasons for for mental illness are complex, what's obvious is that people suffering from it are in desperate need of treatment. People in these situations have hit rock bottom, and it's my opinion that their crimes could be a call for help.

It's fun to think about what we would do with a "get out of jail free card." But the reality is that those only exist in Monopoly. The "not criminally responsible" ruling isn't designed to keep everybody out of jail. It is a tool available to our justice system to be applied to people with the most complex issues that can only be resolved in a psychiatric setting.

I hope you'll keep this in mind as you read about James Holmes' preliminary hearing -- and the next time you think about not wanting to be held responsible for your actions.

]]> Post-Sandy Hook, Don't Fear Those With Mental Illnesses tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2363611 2012-12-26T00:19:06-05:00 2013-02-24T05:12:01-05:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/ the Sandy Hook tragedy and the world is still talking about it. It is a tragedy that has made people challenge other people's views, but it has also been an opportunity for people to raise their voices and create change.

People's motivation to create change isn't just limited to America; the Sandy Hook tragedy has got people talking worldwide. Governments have also taken note and assessing whether policies or legislation need to be changed to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in their jurisdictions.

A major talking point has been whether or not the shooter, Adam Lanza, had a mental illness. We may never know for certain if the suspect had a mental illness. Regardless, a lot of people are wondering if mental illness could lead somebody to kill dozens of people.

This subject isn't easy for me to write for the sheer fact that I don't want to offend anybody, but as a mental health advocate, I do have an opinion. Last month, I was appointed co-chairman of the Service User Expert Panel at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. Membership of the panel consists of mental health system consumers, but also family members of those affected by mental illness. We'll be using our individual experiences to try and better the mental health system in Ontario and possibly beyond.

To protect the privacy of panel members I can't say much about our meeting discussions, but even before the Sandy Hook tragedy we spoke in depth about how those with mental illness are treated by law enforcement and in the justice system. Those discussions will continue to happen and I expect the panel to make recommendations as a result of our personal experiences.

Though difficult it is worth asking: Are all those those suffering from a mental illness capable of organizing and carrying out a grotesque massacres such as what happened in Connecticut and Colorado?

Data on homicides committed by those who have a mental illness is scarce, but in a 2011 study called "Trends in rates of mental illness in homicide perpetrators" in the British Journal of Psychiatry, research shows that only 605 (or 10 per cent) of the 5,884 people convicted of homicide in England and Wales had a mental illness at the time of the offense.

As a society we are hungry for answers as to why such heinous acts are committed. It's easiest to pinpoint what we think is the most probable cause, which in fact could be far from the truth.

Don't get me wrong, people with mental illness do end up in the justice system as a result of their actions. But we are victims too, and it's been my experience that those with mental illness who commit such deplorable actions do so because of failure: their own failure to seek treatment, or professionals failing to properly treat their mental illness.

I agree that despite the tragedy that's unfolded, we can use this as an opportunity to make the world a better and a safer place. I do believe everybody wants change, but we need to be careful not to hurt people as a result.

People with mental illness are generally not harmful people. When calling for change, I urge everybody to choose their words carefully especially when it comes to how those with mental illness should be handled and treated. Otherwise, you will further the social stigma.

]]> We Don't Need Another Amanda Todd -- Let's Talk About Suicide tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2005871 2012-10-23T17:42:28-04:00 2012-12-23T05:12:01-05:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
With the recent, tragic, and unnecessary death of bullying victim Amanda Todd people have been contacting me via social media and email asking me how I feel about suicide being so openly discussed. To be honest until I was asked, I hadn't really formed an opinion but after some thinking and discussion with my peers I have come a conclusion.

I believe that it is time to talk about suicide openly. Having the nation begin to talk about bullying and suicide prevention should have happened a long time ago. It is easy for me to sit here and say that the discussion should have happened sooner but starting this discussion now is better then never discussing it at all. Like many other people I am furious it took Amanda's death to launch this discussion. Nothing we can say or do can bring Amanda back to life but I believe this talk of how we can put a stop to bullying and suicide prevention is Amanda's legacy.

I have been very open about speaking publicly about attempting to take my own life; I even dedicated a blog to the subject. Over the past few weeks I've been debating with my peers as to whether or not we have a right to know how a person attempted to, or in fact did, take their own life when a suicide is reported by the media.

Based on my own experience I rarely if ever tell the media how I attempted to take my own life because I feel it's such an irrelevant part of the story. I feel that it doesn't matter the method in which I tried to take my own life. What matters is that I survived the suicide attempt and I have lived to tell people that while being at rock bottom sucks, it does get better even if you see no way out.

Another argument I've heard is that by discussing the method by which somebody attempts or does take their own life gives people ideas as to how they should take their own life. I don't buy that argument. The reality is if somebody wants to take their own life, they won't wait for somebody to suggest how they do it. It's like saying a criminal will kill somebody based on the method they've heard about in the media.

At the end of the day if the suicide is important enough to report on publicly then the public has a right to know. As a former journalism student I know the media doesn't take the decision to report on a suicide lightly. Sure the method of the suicide is only a small part of the story, but it is still a part of the story that makes it whole.

I am sad that it has taken an end to a life to begin talking about suicide so openly but it is something we must talk about to prevent it. Discussing the method in which people take their own lives will only add to the preventions we can put in place. It may be a difficult thing to hear and talk about and nobody says this is easy. But it must be done.

Anybody who wants to take their life needs help and if anybody reading this knows of somebody contemplating suicide please reach out to the proper authorities.

Are you in crisis? Need help? In Canada, find links and numbers to 24-hour suicide crisis lines in your province here.

]]> I Confess, Even I Have Mental Health Stigma tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1889162 2012-09-18T08:33:29-04:00 2012-11-18T05:12:02-05:00 Arthur Gallant http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-gallant/
In order to put an end to a problem such as stigma you must first identify the origin of the problem and ask why it exists. What is it that we with mental illness say or do that makes others treat us negatively therefore creating stigma? I recently had to ask myself this question.

A few weeks ago my dog groomer vanished without a trace. I have been a loyal customer for several years because of her talent but also because of the affordability her business offers. I was extremely concerned for my groomer's well-being after seeing her face splashed across the local newspaper and TV newscast. I was devastated every time I heard the police had no leads as to her whereabouts. Obviously a lot of negative thoughts crossed my mind and I emotionally prepared myself for getting the worst news possible.

Thankfully, my groomer was found a week after she went missing not far from her shop. She was healthy and the media reported no foul play was suspected in her disappearance and the police had concluded their investigation.

I learned through my groomer's employees that she didn't tell anybody where she was and nobody was able to contact her. The police, friends, and family were worried sick about her disappearance. I asked myself how somebody could just go off the radar while family and friends were worried and the police were searching day and night for her and then reappear as if nothing happened.

Don't get me wrong; I am relieved my groomer was found healthy. But I am concerned by my groomer's actions. I asked both myself and my mother whether or not we should continue to be her customer as a result of her actions. That's when I realized -- I have stigma. Whether or not it's in relation to mental health, I don't know. But stigma is still stigma and mine has altered how I feel about somebody and could potentially influence whether or not I continue to support my groomer's business.

I visited my groomer recently and was very careful about how I approached the situation because I only know her on a professional level but I wanted to show her I was genuinely concerned, and tried to gauge why she disappeared. Any attempt I made to try and understand why my groomer disappeared failed. I am not criticizing my groomer's right to privacy but as somebody who cares, I have a lot of questions.

The biggest question on mind is whether or not I can continue to support somebody whose actions were questionable and uncommon. If my groomer asked to sit down for coffee with me to chat I'd be there in a heartbeat; but I don't know whether or not I can continue to support her business after her disappearance. I need to stress that how I'm feeling is upsetting to me. For so long I have advocated against stigma, and now I'm living with stigma of my own. To this day I am still trying to earn back the trust people of people who were concerned by my actions when I went through some personal challenges. It is a painstaking process losing people you love and care about during a time you really need them.

I plan on taking some time to absorb the events of the past few weeks but ultimately I'm hoping the intensity of what I'm feeling dies down. My groomer needs me; but I also need her.

Whatever causes we fight and advocate for, we as humans may still have questions or turn our backs to a group within the group we are advocating for. An example of this is being an advocate for the fair treatment of animals but believing pit bulls should be banned.

Acknowledging I have stigma is one of the hardest things I have ever done publicly. I don't condone my actions and I promise to continue to fight against stigma both publicly and privately. I encourage everybody reading this blog to ask themselves if they too have stigma, why they have it, and what they can do to eliminate it.

I hope you'll join me in eliminating mental health stigma!]]>