Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The week was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada. Mental illnesses can be treated effectively but we first need to change our attitudes so we can treat our mental health like our physical health. By taking those extra steps to raise awareness and overcome stigma and discrimination, we will then be able to feel comfortable reaching out and asking for help.

One of MIAW’s major initiatives is the Faces of Mental Illness campaign, a national outreach campaign featuring the stories of Canadians living in recovery from mental illness. Let’s do our part in supporting this important campaign and the individuals in our community who experience or have experienced a mental illness!