A New Year's Resolution for 2014

2014 marks not only the official start of Beyond The Body, but also the time when many take a few moments to reflect on the past year's triumphs and tribulations, lessons learned, and experiences gained. The start of a new year gives many the feeling of starting fresh, of being able to wipe the slate clean, and most importantly the opportunity to make "resolutions" or life changes and finally have the motivation and courage to go for one's goals and ambitions.  While the most common resolutions are those aimed at self-improvement (i.e. lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with family and friends), this year I encourage you to make a different sort of resolution, one that is aimed more at helping others and has the ability to actually make a difference both in our own lives and likely in someone else's too.  This year, let's resolve to have a better understanding of mental health and mental illness.

You can start this resolution right now by watching the video below presented by CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), which illustrates just how shockingly prevalent mental illness and addiction are within our society.   While the movie clip is short, it is incredibly powerful as it helps us to really see that in one way or another we are all connected to or affected by mental illness and addiction.  As the video says, "you can create hope by understanding", and likewise I believe we can best help those suffering from mental health concerns and illnesses when we fully grasp the true burden of mental illness and understand what life is really like for these individuals.