Mad Mom’s mad about mental illness

What am I so concerned about this time, you ask?

Well, it’s about the shocking lack of public awareness and education by the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Health.

In over 18 years, it has failed to publish even one pamphlet on mental illness, despite this being the number one issue for so many people.

Information about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has been sadly lacking, year after year.

Those suffering from mental illnesses are isolated, not wanted in their communities, and depressed and lonely, suffering from what should be treatable illnesses.

Many people are still in the Dark Ages. They think mental disease is caused by demons.

We are sure not helping anybody when we can’t even publish a pamphlet on the signs and symptoms of mental illness and how it can be treated and provide hope to families and to struggling people.

There are ways of explaining anything. So why hasn’t any information come out, designed for the people of Nunavut?

I am sick and tired of the way the Department of Health functions. Surely, they could turn out a series of brochures on mental illness and improve the lives of many with the correct information.

A big expenditure? I doubt it. Amazingly enough, they never think of it. They feel they know so much that a pamphlet is beneath them.

But it isn’t, you know, and it could do so much good.

It could keep families together when the person is being treated with the right combination of medications. It could improve the quality of life for the affected person.

It is inexcusable that the mental health folks in health haven’t discovered the power of public information.

Let’s get on with really serving the people!

Mad Mom
(Name withheld by request)
Iqaluit

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