Kali J Desautels

Can we talk about this nonsense????? Seriously!!!

Mental health does not negate physical pain!!! Prejudging his health based on his honest disclosure of his medically-controlled bipolar disorder is a further example of why Canadians living with mental health issues are reluctant to share.

The stigma does not end with friends thinking you are “crazy”. The stigma does not end with coworkers thinking you are lazy or flaky. The stigma does not end with friends and family asking “are you off your meds?” The stigma follows you into the hospital where you are not trusted to define your pain.

When we see headlines like this in Canada, how do we continue to argue that is “not that bad here”? How do we argue that we are a country that puts all people on equal footing? We have our own systemic racism, ablism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, religious bias, as our neighbours to the south.

This needs to stop. Not improve. Not make some “changes” – this systemic prejudice of those living with mental health issues needs to STOP.

Thank you to @thebookofbrenna for bringing this story to my attention.

#mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthsupport #bipolar #justiceforjoepontone #humber #canadianhealthcare #healthcareisahumanright #humanright #invisibleillnessawareness #guillainbarresyndrome #canadadobetter #canada #wecandobetter #systemicracism #systemicdiscriminiation #discrimination #endthestigma #bellletstalk