Historically, mental health has not been treated well. In fact, for the first three quarters of the twentieth century, mental health sufferers were placed in institutions, and although the stigma of mental health has somewhat improved, the fact is, thanks to the pandemic, mental health statistics have increased to just under half of the population.

The pandemic saw mental health sufferers climb from one in ten, to four in ten, and insurance companies and governments have not faired well under that pressure. The fact is, prison inmates are amongst the highest treated for mental illness in the United States, which essentially means, the US has gone from placing mental health sufferers in a prison-like setting, to just plain prisons.

The government claims to be caring well for it’s mental health patients, but the question is, are they?

You can find mental health resources for Canada and the United States below:

United States:

• National Suicide Prevention : 1-800-273-8255

• Crisis text line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357

• Behavioral health treatment services locator:

https://findtreatment.gov/

Canada:

• Canada Mental Health Resources:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html

• Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (Phone) | 45645 (Text, 4 p.m. to midnight ET only) http://www.talksuicide.ca

• In Quebec (French): Association québécoise de prévention du suicide: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (Phone), Live Chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca

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