Personal Reflection Of Mental Health

Throughout Unit 3 of my HSC 4M (World Cultures) course, I have been able to learn and grow in my understanding of not only others, but of also myself. In the first activity of this unit, I learned about many historical and contemporary social movements by researching and presenting a case study about the Stonewall Riots, and by reading and providing commentary on others’ case studies. In the subsequent activity, I was given the opportunity to propose solutions to a variety of potential barriers. The final activity allowed me to research an individual, who initiated social change and took action to knock down barriers. For this activity, I researched Hannah Taylor, a young girl, who initiated social change, by creating an organization called

Mental health awareness has always been very important to me. It is something that I hold close to my heart because I have lived (and will continue to live) through it. Many individuals suffering with mental illness, lose hope. This results in suicide attempts and completions, as the limited resources and the stigma associated with mental illness makes it feel nearly impossible for sufferers and their families to talk to others about their struggles and to access help and services. I believe that mental health is a topic that our society must effectively address, as mental illness is very common, affecting one in five individuals, and because suicide is one of the most common leading deaths among young

While doing some research on mental health, I overcame a petition opposing the Federal Government and the Canada Revenue Agency’s plan to tax private sector mental health services in Canada. Instead of knocking down barriers, the Federal Government and Canada Revenue Agency are proposing a plan which will place another systematic barrier for those with mental illness. I immediately signed it. I also shared the link to the petition with my peers in both of my online courses and with my Facebook friends. By signing the petition and sharing it with others, I was taking action and making a small change. I realized this when one of my peers contacted me regarding a sibling that had struggled with similar issues. By simply posting the petition and by sharing some information about my personal struggles, I was normalizing the topic of mental health. This was the moment I realized that I had reached my peak as an agent of change, as I felt I had the social responsibility and obligation to share my knowledge on this