Live Chat -
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Let's Talk
Bell Let’s Talk live chat ran from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET featuring special guests and experts appearing on CTV News Channel, BNN, and Canada AM. A number of experts and people from across Canada were participating with stories of hope and survival.
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You’ll get to interact with a number of prominent mental-health experts and front-line workers who’ve agreed to take your questions on this page throughout the day. We are kicking off the chat with a youth focus, to coincide with Canada AM’s theme for its special show today.
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Please go ahead and submit your comments and questions for them. We won’t get to them all, but we'll try to answer as many as possible. One tip: When directing your comment or question to someone, please being with the name of the person you’re addressing. Example: "Rory: Thank you for your response, but I’ve got another question..."
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Watch live coverage from Canada AM as CTV News helps shine a spotlight on mental health. Watch here: goo.gl -
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I have a 17 year old some who suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and depression for years already. He has participated in cutting, and once spent an entire summer laying in a dark room, afraid to go out. Let's talk is only the beginning. We need to be able to get these kids some help. I having been talking for years. When you can get some help there are long waiting lists and once you get some help, you are sent on your way as quickly as possible. We need to stop talking and start doing.... -
We also have several wonderful features on ctvnews.ca related to mental health issues, including an article on dealing with mental health issues at work, and a powerful column written by Michael Landsberg.
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My name is Dustin Garron. I am the Founder of The Mental Health Project which advocates for youth mental health in the Province of Ontario between ages 12-21 through motivational speaking and peer to peer support. Our website is www.thementalhealthproject.com
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Son has severe depression issues - in smaller towns, it is almost impossible to get help. Referrals to referrals, drug related issues seem to have free resources. Had scare when son attended Humber college - told not to worry, most new students have issues. It still appears that the majority of positions are in the front lines hare not equipped to handle mental health issues
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Hello Catherine I can entirely understand your frustration - the health system is reactive rather than proactive and so until the "system" knows about the problem very little can happen - I'm very sorry to hear of the struggles your son has been having but am glad to hear that you are talking and seeking help for him. Talking will help bring about change but I agree there needs to be more action and that can only come with policy change at Government level. That's why the Bell initiative today is important - and to also get folk across the country talking rather than coping behind closed doors and feeling so isolated. Take care and all the best to you and your son. Keep going. -
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I have battled with depression for years and most people in my life don't even know. My partner also suffers from it. There is still so much of a stigma attached to depression. Outwardly I am a bright, charismatic educator (thanks to help from my meds) . Thankfully both elementary and secondary schools are beginning to offer progra,s for kids who are struggling also. Our government needs to pay way more attention to this issue as it is so wide spread.
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Hello Susan sorry to hear of your son's struggles at College and his/ your experiences of help on the front line. Mental Health is becoming more of an understood priority for essential services in Colleges and Universities etc...my agency Your Life Counts is doing what we can and of course the Mental Heal Commission in Partnership with KidsHelpPhone and The Jack Project have been making good progress in establishing a mental health first aid program in a pilot project. There is however much to be done.
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I've suffered from depression most of my life. I've given up trying to get help, each and every time I've reached out all I get is take this, take that. I want to deal with the root cause, not take pills and feel like an idiot. Since 2004 I've learned to deal with my depression, I'm sure my life could be much better, but I'll take things as they are today. Thank you for reading my comment.
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Well i went through a depression as a child due to a father with alcohol problems so i eventually went to the bottle myself abused raped as a child you name it! i have slashed my arms and once i was told i was doing it for attention and over heard doctors saying if he meant it it would of been done this way so off i went again to do it the right way as doctors had said and my mother did try to get me help but a doctor shay back then said these exact words your son is nuts and theres no help so i ended up having a nervous breakdown and anyway dont want to keep you but in the end i`m alive praise jesus for this because i finally was in a drunk tank one morning and i said if your out there i dont want this pain anymore and i walked out of there and didnt drink and my life has changed i`m sitting here right now in tears because jesus came to me and i surrendered everything to him and to this day i have a totally different life
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I to have 17 year old with generalized anxiety disorder. She went through cutting stage herself. I have to agree in small communities it is very difficult to get the help and support she needed. She was only able to see a support worker once every 2 weeks if we were lucky. There really needs to be more outreach programs for the smaller communities and more funding. She is doing much better now but it has been a long frustrating road !! We really have to get more awareness out about G.A.D and depression in teens !!
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During the past few years, Ive been in somewhat of a rut but I don't really know why. I just didn't seem to fit in with the majority of people. As i got older I've learnt to deal with my problems better, however I still sometimes feel down. The system I believe is extremely flawed. Wait times at university councillors are extremely long and Doctors are way too quick to hand out prescriptions. Mental Health Centres need to be more prevalent in Northern Ontario.
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@ Susan - yes, family time has eroded to the point that some children and youth no longer know what 'family time' means - that is so sad on the one hand but on the other it is an opportunity for families to create that time - whatever means to each of us we need to spend quality time on building relationship one on one; around the dinner table etc...
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I agree with Catherine J . Our story is similiar, our 17 year old daughter has been ill for several years, with more than one diagnosis. I talk all the time and am very open about the illness, however the help is just not there. We have been told she needs a type of therapy that is not available in our province! We are beyond frustrated with the never ending drugs, and doctors that wont talk to each other. Another huge issue we face is the fact that at 17 years of age we have no say over what is happening in regards to her care. I could go on and on...
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Young adults, over 18 - depression issues, not within 2 hours of Toronto. What would be a route to go to get help? Have gone through Family Dr, through Mental Health Associate., costly Family Councelling, and referrals to Toronto - we have so far found that he has a problem but no solution
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my son has been trying to get help he now thinks that this is how his life is meant to be, you get help and then when you feel better you get on a wait list with no support. He is willing to talk - does talk, but there is no one there to listen. He has been discharged from hospital only to get home and attempt suicide, he recently was put on a hold by er doc and the psychiatrist released him the next morning after speaking to him for 5 long minutes and she never spoke to the er doc this would have been his 5 admission in 3 years. help is not out there talk as loud as you want you can't find it.
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@ Heather - so important that your daughter has someone she can speak with when she is feeling like cutting herself. Being accountable; making a promise not to cut is an important first step. That person may or may not be you...and that's ok...so often sons/ daughters do not look to their parents when they are in distress as hard as that is to understand it is true...having support in the community is crucial too - if you visit us at www.yourlifecounts.org we will do what we can to help connect you
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