The Canadian Mental Health Association’s 66th Annual CMHA Mental Health Week!

CMHA Mental Health Week started in 1951 to raise awareness for mental health in Canada. Held during the first full week in May, CMHA Mental Health Week is now a popular awareness week. CMHA provincial offices and branches hold Mental Health Week events and activities in hundreds of community locations across Canada.

CMHA Mental Health Week offers millions of Canadians practical ways to maintain and improve their mental health. Every year, CMHA selects a specific mental health-related issue to focus on during CMHA Mental Health Week. This year, as part of our Sick of Waiting: Get Loud for Mental Health campaign, we are paying special attention to long waits – the long wait to see a mental health professional, and the long wait for improvements to the mental health system of Canada.

During CMHA Mental Health Week, we also encourage all Canadians to reflect on their own attitudes towards mental health. Reducing discrimination and stigma is paramount, so that people no longer feel shame due to a mental illness and will no longer wait to seek the support and help they need.

Help support #MentalHealth Week and raise awareness for positive mental health.

Tips on how you can #GETLOUD can be found on CMHA’s website

www.mentalhealthweek.ca

TRY THESE FIVE MINDFULNESS ACTIVITIES

The following are five Mindfulness Activities for each day of CMHA Mental Health Week.

MONDAY, MAY 1ST

Happy Monday, and thank you for joining us for this year’s CMHA Mental Health Week!

Help settle in after the weekend by taking a social media break for the day. Checking

your notifications on Facebook or Twitter can be exhausting and stressful, so spend

your Monday social media free!

TUESDAY, MAY 2ND

The adage goes that you are what you eat, and this is especially true when it comes to

being mentally healthy. Your diet can play a huge role in your overall mental health, not

only what your diet consists of but also how much you eat in one day. Today, we ask

that you take note of what you eat. Keep a log of your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and

anything you eat in-between those three meals.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3RD

Happy Hump Day! Do you feel stressed out from the week’s activities? Do you need a

moment to breathe so you can feel refreshed? If that’s the case, then take a moment to

go for a fifteen-minute walk. See how much of a difference fresh air and stretched legs

make!

THURSDAY, MAY 4TH

Being mentally healthy means different things for different people. For some, it can

mean reframing your thoughts in a much-healthier way. Today, we advise you to try

meditating! When you have time, find a quiet part of your house or apartment, turn your

phone off, and try meditating for five minutes straight.

FRIDAY, MAY 5TH

TGIF! Thank you very much for being a part of this week’s activities for CMHA Mental

Health Week. Sometimes, it’s difficult to put our feelings into words, but in order to

better understand ourselves – and to be understood by others – we have to find ways to

express our feelings. Today, try to write out an emotion or feeling you have about

something that bothers or worries you. You don’t have to show it to anyone, but if you

feel comfortable sharing your words then by all means go ahead.

Thank you for joining us for CMHA Mental Health Week and have a great weekend.