By Daryl Major

Ride Don’t Hide event hopes to get people talking about mental illness

Jun 25, 2017 | 7:32 AM

NANAIMO —  A nation wide fundraiser June 25, including an event at Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo, hopes to end the stigma around mental health issues.

The stigma, the Canadian Mental Health Association said, is that no one wants to open up about it. The CMHA’s mid-island spokesperson Vicki Swan said they want to get people talking.

“Everybody wants to be in control,” she said. “People feel that they should be able to just get over things. With mental illness that’s not the case. People need supports.”

A new survey suggested more people are starting to talk. The IPSOS Public Affairs third annual Canadian Mental Health Check-Up shows almost half of those asked reported being more comfortable talking about mental health than two years ago.

Swan said that’s encouraging.

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“People are saying that what’s helping them is being able to speak openly to friends and family members. Those are the people that are going for help. The ones that are actually able to talk about it.”

According to the CMHA, suicide accounts for 24 per cent of deaths among 15 to 24 year-olds. Among 25-44 year-olds, the rate is 16 per cent.

Sunday’s ride features routes from 2.2 to 52.3 kms, with the longest version getting underway at 9 a.m. The goal is to raise $20,000.

More information is available here. (http://ridedonthide.com/bc/ride/mid-island/)

daryl@nanaimonewsnow.com