Most of us wish the solution to life Õs problems could come in a bottle.
Unfortunately, some
of us believe it does.
For immediate release: Monday December 10, 2001 (Toronto, Ontario):
TORONTO,
(ONTARIO) ø December 10, 2001 øMany of us turn to alcohol as a way of
coping with lifeÕs problems. Because it can mask the pain. Take away the
fear. For awhile. Until eventually the solution becomes the problem-a
problem that often destroys relationships and decimates families. And
it can happen before we even realize what is going on. It takes courage
to take the first step toward getting help.
But it doesn't have to be done alone.
Today, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health launched the second
phase of a multi-year public education campaign which will reach out to
the one in 10 people who struggle with problems of alcohol misuse. The
campaign, entitled "There is HelpÉ.There is Hope", aims to remove
the barriers impeding people from seeking treatment for addictions and
mental health problems. The first wave, launched in October 2000 focused
on depression and was successful in reaching out to the millions of Canadians
who struggle with this condition yet who resist seeking help largely due
to the stigma related to the condition and its treatments.
Dr Graeme Cunningham became a champion for people with addictions after
a long personal struggle with alcohol. "Following my own recovery,
I realized early on that I drew strength through helping others with addictions
" says Dr. Graeme Cunningham, Director of Addiction Medicine for
Homewood Health Centre based in Guelph, Ontario and recipient of the 2001
Courage to Come Back award presented by the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health Foundation.
Through public service ads, a website, www.thereishelp.org,
Community Education Forums in partnership with Chatelaine Magazine, and
programs targetted at specific audiences including workplaces and schools,
the Centre will be bringing information and resources closer to the people
who need them. "Our surveys demonstrate that Ontarians are hearing
these important messages ø almost 47% of those surveyed indicated that,
after reading the first set of ads on depression, they would seek help",
says Dr. Paul Garfinkel, President and CEO of CAMH. "Together with
our efforts to ensure healthy public policy, research for more effective
treatments, health promotion and prevention initiatives, and training
programs for health care providers and employers, these public education
efforts will help us move towards a more accessible and responsive mental
health and addiction system, and a more supportive community."
"Alcohol misuse is greatly misunderstood and those misconceptions
often contribute to reluctance to seek help", states Dr. Garfinkel.
" Our goal is to help to increase understanding of problems related
to alcohol misuse ø everything from the shared responsibility we all have
to ensure responsible alcohol use among our own friends, family, and colleagues
to improved understanding of the factors that contribute to an individualsÕ
readiness to seek help".
All services for this project, including creative concepts, production,
ad space, web design and public relations have been donated by corporations
and media outlets equally committed to this important issue. It is estimated
that, to date, approximately $850,000 in services has been donated to
the There is HelpÉThere is Hope campaign.
The Centre also announced today the establishment of the R. Samuel McLaughlin
Mental Health and Addiction Information Centre, designed to serve as the
portal to reliable and current information in mental health and addiction.
A $1 million dollar gift from the R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation will
increase CAMHÕs ability to reach Ontarians in need of assistance, better
enabling people to play an informed and active role in their own health
care, prevent illness and seek the best care possible.
The Centre will provide increased and convenient public access to support
and educational resources through:
- A highly visible store-front Information Centre in Toronto
- An expanded and enhanced toll-free Information Line.
- A comprehensive web strategy designed to disseminate addiction and
mental health information broadly
- A telephone support line staffed by volunteers to provide informal
and/or peer support to people with mental health and addictions problems.
- The opportunity to reach out to diverse communities with well-developed
resource materials and an effective dissemination strategy.
"This project will make an important contribution to improving public
understanding as well as access to and navigation of the mental health
and addiction systems. Access to timely and relevant information is important
for people and their families who are taking their first steps in seeking
help", stated Dr. Garfinkel.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Canada's largest centre
in the area of mental health and addictions. A World Health Organization
Centre of Excellence and a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the
University of Toronto, the Centre was established in 1998 through the
merger of the Addiction Research Foundation, the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry,
the Donwood Institute and the Queen Street Mental Health Centre.
- For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
-
Andrew Leopold / Candace Smith Jacobs
NATIONAL PharmaCom
(416) 586-0180
-
- Anne Ptasznik
Media Relations Coordinator, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(416) 595-6015
Anne_Ptasznik@camh.net
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