I believe in a just, fair and compassionate society and believe that our current governments, (both in BC and in Ottawa) are moving to change the social contract. The focus of our government appears to be that the state has a very minor role in helping its citizens. I found the results of the poll done by the Canadian Mental Health Association positive. There is still a great deal of work to be done to move our country to a more just, compassionate and fair society, but despite the best efforts of our government to move toward a narrow vision of what it means to help others, Canadians are still a compassionate and fair people.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), approximately “one in every five Canadian adults under age 65 will have a mental health problem in any given year” and a 2003 survey from Statistics Canada reported that, “One in 10 Canadians 15 years of age and over report symptoms consistent with alcohol or illicit drug dependence.” These two groups make up a large portion of the Canadian population, making it all the more important that individuals understand the day-to-day realities they face
While previous research has revealed a public which is at times unsympathetic to those living on the streets or in poverty, this new research found that most Canadians are extremely empathetic and compassionate toward those struggling with mental illness and substance addictions. Findings revealed that many Canadians had first or second-hand experience dealing with these issues.
Key findings from our report include:
• Mental illness and addictions personally touch the lives of four out of five Canadians with 80 percent reporting that they have either a friend or family member who has experienced mental illness and/or addiction.
· Most Canadians recognize the linkage between mental health and addiction with 71 percent agreeing that “a lot of people with addictions have mental health problems.”
· 80 percent of survey respondents reported their belief that mental illness causes many Canadians to experience poverty.
· 87 percent of respondents believe that mental illness should be a higher priority for the government.
· 82 percent of those surveyed think that there should be more services to help people with addictions.
· 73 percent agree that there would be far fewer homeless people in Canada if there was better care for people with mental health problems.
· Nearly 100 percent of Canadians agree that people with mental health problems deserve to live a life of dignity.
These findings are promising and reveal a population that recognizes the barriers and obstacles inhibiting Canadians that suffer from either mental illness or addiction. They are asking the government to prioritize these issues by providing assistance to get those impacted back on their feet.
Additional key findings that recognize the link between mental illness, addiction and poverty include:
• 71 percent of Canadians agree that a lot of people with addictions have mental health problems.
• 95 percent believe that mental illness can happen to anyone.
• 80 percent of Canadians think that mental illness causes many Canadians to experience poverty.
• More than 70 percent feel that mental illness is a trap that some Canadians just can’t escape, no matter how hard they try.
• 70 percent of respondents believe that mental illness is a major cause of homelessness.
Despite these findings, there is a significant minority who oppose providing any additional assistance:
• Almost a quarter of respondents think that Canada already spends too much money trying to help people with addictions to alcohol and drugs.
• 35 percent feel that if we gave people with addictions more assistance, they would just take advantage of it.
Additional misconceptions include:
• More than a quarter of respondents don’t think you can really trust people who have had mental illness.
• 24 percent of Canadians are afraid when they are around people they know who have mental health problems.
• More than 20 percent reported that people with mental illness cannot really participate in society.
• 30 percent say that you can’t really trust people who are recovering addicts.
• A quarter of respondents say that have no sympathy for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
The Dignity Project is designed to educate the public about the reality of poverty in the 21st century – and underscore the point that everyone deserves basic human dignity.
Today, approximately three million Canadians, or one in 11 people, live in poverty.with many of them suffering from either mental illness or addiction.
News releases, articles and updated information can be found at http://www.salvationarmy.ca/
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