On January 31st 2019, Bell Lets Talk Day occurred in Canada. Bell Lets Talk is an advertising campaign created by the company Bell Canada in order to raise awareness about mental health and to end the stigma around it.
By viewing their videos or using their filters or using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk on several different social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, Bell would donate 5¢ each time someone used them towards mental health initiatives. If you are someone who uses Bell’s services then just texting and calling made a contribution. Celebrities also participated in this campaign like Ellen DeGeneres, Celine Dion, William Shatner as well as Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Several schools also participated in the campaign by hosting a Bell Lets Talk Day assembly. Schools covered different types of mental disorders like anxiety, depression, ADD, ADHD, eating disorders and more. Some schools also hosted different mental heath organizations to talk about the stigma and how it can be stopped.
The media has been one of the leading causes for the negative image about mental health as the entertainment industry often depicts people with mental disorders as unpredictable. These stereotypes lead to people with a mental disorder being misunderstood and feared. These stereotypes can cause people that are struggling with their mental health to not seek out treatment and have their self-esteem decrease greatly. But there are shows that focus on mental health in a much more positive/realistic manner. These shows help viewers understand that the stereotypes are stereotypes and are not real. This Is Us had a character that experienced a panic attack and had anxiety, even the cartoons like Winnie the Pooh had each character represent a mental disorder, for example Winnie the Pooh showing characteristics of OCD and Eeyore possessing traits of depression.
No one really talks about mental health as much as physical health and even if you can’t see it, that doesn’t mean someone isn’t experiencing it. The Bell Let’s Talk campaign raises the awareness of mental health and encourages people to talk about it. By spreading awareness about mental health it can decrease the stigma around it and stop the misunderstanding that has been created. This year Bell raised $7.2 million which broke their previous record of $6,919,199.75 .
Ever since 2010, Bell Let’s Talk has challenged the stigma that surrounds mental health and is making people more knowledgeable about this topic. Click on the link Bell Let’s Talk to learn more.