Fast facts | The Canadian Mental Health Association breaks it down

Mental health and mental illness: what is the difference?

• Illness and health are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.
• “Mental health” is a concept similar to “physical health”: it refers to a state of well-being. It includes our emotions, feelings of connection to others, our thoughts and feelings, and being able to manage life’s highs and lows.
• The presence or absence of a mental illness is not a predictor of being healthy mentally; someone without a mental illness could have poor mental health, just as a person with a mental illness could have excellent mental health.

Read more on the CMHA website!

What does this have to do with me?

It has really only been in my lifetime that we have started talking openly about this aspect of our wellbeing. If you are a little older, you may well remember a time when feelings simply were not discussed. Maintaining composure and bottling things up were signs of strength. We have moved beyond that, now. There is a growing permission to name what is true for all of us: we are resilient; we are vulnerable.

Our emotional and processing health needs the same attention we might give a tummy ache, a broken leg, or a migraine. Minding our emotions and overall wellbeing is as important as taking care of our cardiovascular system.

In wobbly times like these, turning attention inward is important. We are learning to take care of our self — maybe with some of the same compassion we are quick to offer each other!

How can I help my loved ones?

And that compassion that you so readily turn toward your friends and family is important. Do you need to tag in some extra support? Here are a few of the charities that we work alongside through vehicle donation:

Your local chapter of the CMHA

Breaking Free Foundation

Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC

Horizons For Youth

Kids Help Phone

Mental Health Foundation

Sunshine Therapy Dogs

Umbrella Society for Addictions & Mental Health

Westman Mental Wellness & Suicide Prevention

Your local Distress Centre

How you can help your mental health charity today

Perhaps you would like to give the cause you love a little extra back up? The charities named above are just a few — your car, you choice! You can gift your vehicle to ANY Canadian charity. Aid the work of the cause you love by donating your car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle. Re-sold or recycled, it will bring a valuable donation. The tow is always free. Moreover, you will receive a tax receipt from your charity, too!

Not quite ready to donate? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! There you will get an overall feel for how we care for each other and our charities. This is a caring community, here to serve you.

The post Mental Health in Canada appeared first on Donate A Car.

The Canadian Mental Health Association is all set to receive your car, truck, van, SUV, or motorcycle donations.

About the CMHA

“Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established community mental health charity in Canada. It is also the most extensive. CMHA is a presence in more than 330 communities. They provide programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses. CMHA supports recovery and resilience. They enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive.”

They offer services and supports to over 1.3 million Canadians. This is no small effort! It is through the combined efforts of more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers. They work from 1 national office. There are 11 divisions in all provinces and one territory, and 75 community-based branches.

100 years at the forefront

CMHA’s mental health fast facts

Who is affected?

Mental illness affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.

Furthermore, in any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem/illness.

Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.

Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives. In addition, 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).

How common is it?

By age 40, about 50% of Canadians will have or have had a mental illness.

Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.

Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe issues.

Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from teens to middle age. The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.

What causes it?

A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors cause these illnesses.

Alarmingly, 49% of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never seen a doctor about it. This is due to the stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presenting a serious barrier.

The economic cost

The 1998 economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada was estimated to be $7.9 billion. This is a tremendous weight on the health care system. Breaking that down, CMHA notes $4.7 billion in cost of care. Furthermore, $3.2 billion were spent on disability and early death.

Additionally, $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for untreated depression and distress.

How does it impact youth?

10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder. This is the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.

Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth (age 12 to 19) have experienced a major depressive episode.

Moreover, the total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.

Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected. This allows them to get back to their regular activities.

Mental illness is a threat to the lives of children. Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world.

Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents. 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.

Schizophrenia is a great disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30 year age group. It affects one person in 100.

Mental disorders in youth are the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.

Only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services gets them.

Ready to give?

Your care for this cause counts. Visit your area CMHA website. Explore their donation options. Or, get curious about how you might volunteer! Hands-on support is often welcome.

Better yet, do you have unused or unwanted car, truck, SUV? What about a van, or a motorcycle? Donate it! It is a quick, simple, and generous way to offer support! The tow is free. The CMHA will receive the net proceeds from your donated car, and you will get a tax receipt. It is a win for all!

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Time.com does a great job of showing the chronology of the ice bucket challenge and the scope of it’s impact, noting that in just a few short weeks the ALS Society added to their donor list by hundreds of thousands of givers!

Single fund raising events, online challenges, and calls for donations via social media ensure a much longer reach for the hundreds of charities deserving our time, our heart, and our financial support.

Beyond the Ice Bucket Challenge

Maybe you’re ready for a different sort of one-time challenge of your own? It’s not every year that we’ll be in a position to donate a vehicle. In fact, it’s more likely that we don’t want to be in a position to donate a car more than twice in a lifetime! If that time is now for you and your family, consider the donation of a Chevy Tahoe managed through our program: $3566.25 for the ALS Society. A one time gift can have a refreshing impact — even without the ice!

That same donor, just a year later, gifted a second vehicle! We’re in the accounting process on that one, but it looks like his hard working, high mileage Lexus is going to result in a gift of over $3000.00 to the Canadian Mental Health Association!

Giving matters. Your gift helps. However you do it, and with your own creative spin, you’re making a change in the world!

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