TORONTO, January 31, 2018 – In any given year, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), one in five Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem. By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, one in two have – or have had – a mental illness. Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.

Overcoming stigma can be one of the primary hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness. #BellLetsTalk is leading the conversation on this front in an effort to reduce stigma and promote awareness and understanding.

The following York U faculty of health experts are available for interviews on mental health and stigma:

Gordon Flett is a professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, and the director of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research. He also holds a Canada Research Chair in Personality and Health.

Professor Gordon Flett, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health

He can speak on the following:

• The impact of anxiety and depression in children, adolescents, and adults over the long term
• Perfectionism and its mental health implications
• Stigma: how students who try to seem perfect tend to stigmatize themselves for seeking help
• The tendency of youth to internalize the stigma and judge oneself according to stereotypic beliefs
• Why the prevalence of distress in schools is underestimated

Myriam Mongrain is a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health. An active clinician and researcher, her research has focused on the role of emotional dependence and self-criticism in the occurrence of major depression.

Professor Myriam Mongrain, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health

She can speak on the following:

• The impact of dependency, self-criticism, depression and self-esteem for young people
• The positive psychology effect of interventions such as the practice of compassion, gratitude and optimism and how they can be used to reduce depression and increase happiness.
• benefits of self-compassion and optimism exercises for individuals vulnerable to depression

Media contact: Anjum Nayyar, York University Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 44543 anayyar@yorku.ca

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