- I am so fucking done with Bell Let's Talk.
- I am so fucking done with Bell Let's Talk.

Okay, so quick explanation of the Bell Let's Talk campaign.
Okay, so quick explanation of the Bell Let's Talk campaign.

Bell is one of the giant three
Bell is one of the giant three

internet and cell phone provider corporations
internet and cell phone provider corporations

here in Canada.
here in Canada.

Every year since 2010,
Every year since 2010,

they have put on a mental health awareness campaign
they have put on a mental health awareness campaign

by the name of Bell Let's Talk.
by the name of Bell Let's Talk.

Interesting that their name slid into that.
Interesting that their name slid into that.

Basically for every text message sent through their network,
Basically for every text message sent through their network,

view of their YouTube video,
view of their YouTube video,

and social media share using their hashtag #bellletstalk,
and social media share using their hashtag #bellletstalk,

the company donates 5 cents to mental health initiatives.
the company donates 5 cents to mental health initiatives.

It's been said that Bell Let's Talk has become a portal
It's been said that Bell Let's Talk has become a portal

to the global discussion of mental health.
to the global discussion of mental health.

Sounds great, right?
Sounds great, right?

So what's my beef with this?
So what's my beef with this?

Glad you asked.
Glad you asked.

So Bell Let's Talk claims to have partnered
So Bell Let's Talk claims to have partnered

with more than 1300 organizations
with more than 1300 organizations

who have granted access to over 5.5 million Canadians
who have granted access to over 5.5 million Canadians

to mental health services.
to mental health services.

If this is the case, though,
If this is the case, though,

why is the current state of affairs
why is the current state of affairs

in terms of being able to access
in terms of being able to access

mental health support so dismal?
mental health support so dismal?

Bell Let's Talk has a particular emphasis
Bell Let's Talk has a particular emphasis

on supporting youth mental health,
on supporting youth mental health,

so why was there over 28,000 kids in 2021 in Ontario alone
so why was there over 28,000 kids in 2021 in Ontario alone

on a waitlist spanning up to a year
on a waitlist spanning up to a year

until they can access treatment for their mental health?
until they can access treatment for their mental health?

Also, anecdotally, the majority of the people I know
Also, anecdotally, the majority of the people I know

who experience mental health challenges
who experience mental health challenges

come up against tremendous barriers
come up against tremendous barriers

trying to just access services for mental health
trying to just access services for mental health

here in Canada.
here in Canada.

You have to be imminently suicidal
You have to be imminently suicidal

to have access to any kind of debatable help.
to have access to any kind of debatable help.

This leads me to my next qualm
This leads me to my next qualm

of much of the funds going toward crisis response services.
of much of the funds going toward crisis response services.

Now, don't get me wrong.
Now, don't get me wrong.

There is definitely a need for crisis response.
There is definitely a need for crisis response.

However, I don't believe we are doing ourselves justice
However, I don't believe we are doing ourselves justice

to assert that this is the part of the problem
to assert that this is the part of the problem

that needs addressing.
that needs addressing.

Why aren't psychologists
Why aren't psychologists

and other mental health clinician visits
and other mental health clinician visits

covered under government health plans?
covered under government health plans?

Why are mental health nurses providing clinical therapy
Why are mental health nurses providing clinical therapy

due to shortages of psychiatrists?
due to shortages of psychiatrists?

Why don't we have mental health clinics
Why don't we have mental health clinics

that see and treat patients
that see and treat patients

just as regular health clinics do?
just as regular health clinics do?

Why are untrained police officers
Why are untrained police officers

responding to mental health calls?
responding to mental health calls?

And what about the larger root issues
And what about the larger root issues

contributing to mental health crises?
contributing to mental health crises?

Why aren't we properly addressing
Why aren't we properly addressing

and making amends for colonialism?
and making amends for colonialism?

Why aren't we addressing racism?
Why aren't we addressing racism?

Why aren't we confronting homophobia, fatphobia,
Why aren't we confronting homophobia, fatphobia,

sanism, and ableism?
sanism, and ableism?

Why aren't we funding safe and supportive housing for all?
Why aren't we funding safe and supportive housing for all?

Why aren't we focusing on food security?
Why aren't we focusing on food security?

These are all the root causes
These are all the root causes

of both stigma and mental health struggles.
of both stigma and mental health struggles.

This is where our efforts need to be concerted,
This is where our efforts need to be concerted,

not on more of the bandaid solution
not on more of the bandaid solution

of crisis response solutions
of crisis response solutions

or the lip service provided with awareness,
or the lip service provided with awareness,

"Let's talk about it" campaigns.
"Let's talk about it" campaigns.

There's many more problems
There's many more problems

with the Bell Let's Talk campaign.
with the Bell Let's Talk campaign.

Let's talk about the ridiculous onus
Let's talk about the ridiculous onus

it puts on the individual
it puts on the individual

to address and work on their mental health challenges.
to address and work on their mental health challenges.

Bell's campaign website features 43 people,
Bell's campaign website features 43 people,

both celebrities and community members,
both celebrities and community members,

sharing their experience with mental illness.
sharing their experience with mental illness.

The profiles exhibit a somewhat adequate amount of diversity
The profiles exhibit a somewhat adequate amount of diversity

in terms of cultural, ethnic,
in terms of cultural, ethnic,

and sexual minority identities,
and sexual minority identities,

albeit only one of these people have schizophrenia.
albeit only one of these people have schizophrenia.

But the larger point here is that their stories
But the larger point here is that their stories

are 100% homogenous in regard to facing
are 100% homogenous in regard to facing

some sort of mental health challenge,
some sort of mental health challenge,

addressing it on an individual level,
addressing it on an individual level,

and recovering in the sense of rejoining the workforce.
and recovering in the sense of rejoining the workforce.

Not only is this problematic in terms of, again,
Not only is this problematic in terms of, again,

shirking responsibility to address these issues
shirking responsibility to address these issues

at both a societal and systemic level,
at both a societal and systemic level,

but also the way they are framing what it means to recover.
but also the way they are framing what it means to recover.

Basically all of these stories
Basically all of these stories

and the common narrative being sold
and the common narrative being sold

in the current mental health discourse
in the current mental health discourse

is that of recovery as a return to productivity.
is that of recovery as a return to productivity.

First mental illness strikes,
First mental illness strikes,

impeding productivity in some way,
impeding productivity in some way,

whether it's with work or school,
whether it's with work or school,

which becomes the impetus for intervention.
which becomes the impetus for intervention.

Then through medical intervention
Then through medical intervention

and individual hope and resilience, the illness is overcome.
and individual hope and resilience, the illness is overcome.

This concept of overcoming
This concept of overcoming

is confirmed by a return to productivity,
is confirmed by a return to productivity,

whether in the form of paid employment,
whether in the form of paid employment,

education, advocacy, or volunteer work.
education, advocacy, or volunteer work.

And yes, I am part of this narrative.
And yes, I am part of this narrative.

Sure, these stories can provide hope for many
Sure, these stories can provide hope for many

who are experiencing their own mental health challenges,
who are experiencing their own mental health challenges,

but what does this message do for people
but what does this message do for people

who maybe don't return to productive work?
who maybe don't return to productive work?

And we haven't even gotten to the part
And we haven't even gotten to the part

where a huge conglomerate corporation
where a huge conglomerate corporation

is behind this campaign.
is behind this campaign.

Let's call a spade a spade here
Let's call a spade a spade here

and acknowledge that Bell is a service provider
and acknowledge that Bell is a service provider

receiving a financial award
receiving a financial award

in exchange for the publicity of the campaign.
in exchange for the publicity of the campaign.

BCE, which is Bell Canada Enterprises, is worth $60 billion.
BCE, which is Bell Canada Enterprises, is worth $60 billion.

They have given about $7 million each year
They have given about $7 million each year

as a result of this campaign.
as a result of this campaign.

There is a very good chance
There is a very good chance

that they spend even more than the $7 million each year
that they spend even more than the $7 million each year

on advertising and branding for the campaign.
on advertising and branding for the campaign.

Does that math add up to you?
Does that math add up to you?

Bell Let's Talk Day usually drums up a lot of content
Bell Let's Talk Day usually drums up a lot of content

of people sharing their personal experiences
of people sharing their personal experiences

with their mental health.
with their mental health.

This is great that people
This is great that people

are talking about their mental health openly,
are talking about their mental health openly,

but it's really only effective
but it's really only effective

in getting people talking for one day a year,
in getting people talking for one day a year,

or self-diagnosing online rather than getting help,
or self-diagnosing online rather than getting help,

or tangibly supporting others beyond this one date.
or tangibly supporting others beyond this one date.

This date often also feels extremely taxing and burdensome
This date often also feels extremely taxing and burdensome

for people drudging through the trenches
for people drudging through the trenches

of their mental health on a daily basis,
of their mental health on a daily basis,

as often it feels overwhelming
as often it feels overwhelming

and somewhat performative on this one day.
and somewhat performative on this one day.

The ickiness of this goes even further in these regards
The ickiness of this goes even further in these regards

where advertisers are essentially
where advertisers are essentially

finding out who to target for ads
finding out who to target for ads

for things like anti-anxiety blankets,
for things like anti-anxiety blankets,

antidepressant vitamins,
antidepressant vitamins,

and self-help books to name a few,
and self-help books to name a few,

based on who shares about their mental health
based on who shares about their mental health

on social media platforms on this day.
on social media platforms on this day.

So what do we do about all this
So what do we do about all this

and what should we be doing
and what should we be doing

instead of falling prey to campaigns like Bell Let's Talk?
instead of falling prey to campaigns like Bell Let's Talk?

Well first and foremost,
Well first and foremost,

I think it's important to really understand
I think it's important to really understand

the points I've made thus far in this video.
the points I've made thus far in this video.

Mental illness is not a buzzword to be exploited
Mental illness is not a buzzword to be exploited

one day per year for capital gains.
one day per year for capital gains.

It is also very much not an issue to be overcome
It is also very much not an issue to be overcome

on just an individual level.
on just an individual level.

There are tremendous systemic and societal factors at play
There are tremendous systemic and societal factors at play

that affect our mental health.
that affect our mental health.

So first you can educate yourself
So first you can educate yourself

on these intersecting factors
on these intersecting factors

and on the societal factors impacting mental health.
and on the societal factors impacting mental health.

Second, you can support,
Second, you can support,

whether through money, volunteering,
whether through money, volunteering,

or simply spreading the word
or simply spreading the word

about organizations and initiatives
about organizations and initiatives

that are actually addressing these issues.
that are actually addressing these issues.

Think housing, food, racism, colonialism, 2SLGBTQ+,
Think housing, food, racism, colonialism, 2SLGBTQ+,

and more organizations and initiatives.
and more organizations and initiatives.

Third, you can understand and normalize
Third, you can understand and normalize

talking about mental health
talking about mental health

in a way that doesn't center itself around recovery
in a way that doesn't center itself around recovery

as in a return to productivity.
as in a return to productivity.

I often talk about recovery
I often talk about recovery

in terms of being able to lead a life
in terms of being able to lead a life

you find fulfillment and meaning in.
you find fulfillment and meaning in.

And this absolutely does not just have to include
And this absolutely does not just have to include

paid employment or school
paid employment or school

or any of these other misguided markers
or any of these other misguided markers

of success and recovery.
of success and recovery.

Fourth, you can have these conversations
Fourth, you can have these conversations

with the people in your life all year round.
with the people in your life all year round.

Mental illness is not
Mental illness is not

this polite little topic of conversation
this polite little topic of conversation

that only pops its head in one day a year.
that only pops its head in one day a year.

It's important to keep talking
It's important to keep talking

and supporting each other every day.
and supporting each other every day.

And fifth, you can lobby
And fifth, you can lobby

and write your government representatives
and write your government representatives

pushing for better mental health care.
pushing for better mental health care.

Vote for representatives who are going to fight
Vote for representatives who are going to fight

to broaden and expand mental health services
to broaden and expand mental health services

and then hold them accountable to this.
and then hold them accountable to this.

Push the fact that mental health is health
Push the fact that mental health is health

and should be given just as much time and resources
and should be given just as much time and resources

as general health.
as general health.

If we genuinely want to affect meaningful change
If we genuinely want to affect meaningful change

in terms of how our societies approach
in terms of how our societies approach

and treat mental health and mental illness,
and treat mental health and mental illness,

it's time to shift the conversation
it's time to shift the conversation

away from these feel good narratives.
away from these feel good narratives.

The reality is that these narratives are not the realities
The reality is that these narratives are not the realities

for many who are struggling with mental health challenges,
for many who are struggling with mental health challenges,

and creating this glossy,
and creating this glossy,

ultimately empty mental health campaign for corporate gains
ultimately empty mental health campaign for corporate gains

over real societal change
over real societal change

is very much part of the problem.
is very much part of the problem.

I do not support Bell Let's Talk
I do not support Bell Let's Talk

while they fail to acknowledge these basic cornerstones
while they fail to acknowledge these basic cornerstones

of the real conversations
of the real conversations

that need to happen around mental health.
that need to happen around mental health.

I will not be participating in Bell Let's Talk Day,
I will not be participating in Bell Let's Talk Day,

and if you want to see meaningful change
and if you want to see meaningful change

in terms of mental health,
in terms of mental health,

neither should you.
neither should you.