Liquid Amber Tattoo is proud to announce that we will be donating 100% of all tattoo profits to Canadian Mental Health Association- BC Division on Saturday October 10th, 2015 to contribute to an important cause and raise awareness for World Mental Health Day .
We would like to extend this invitation to everyone interested in celebrating their story through tattoos, which to many represent bringing to light stories of hope, recovery, tragedy and persistence that illustrate the effects of mental illness.
Why?
Did you know that mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada? According to a survey conducted in 2008, just 50% of Canadians would tell friends or co-workers that they have a family member with a mental illness, compared to 72% who would discuss a diagnosis of cancer and 68% who would talk about a family member having diabetes. It’s important to recognize that in 2008, 42% of Canadians were unsure whether they would socialize with a friend who has a mental illness.
Thankfully, things have changed for the better. According to a survey conducted earlier this year, 57% of Canadians believe that the stigma associated with mental illness has been reduced compared to 5 years ago, 81% are more aware of mental health issues compared to 5 years ago, 70% believe attitudes about mental health issues have changed for the better compared to 5 years ago. Though we’ve seen an increase of awareness, there’s still a long ways to go.
Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community. We wanted to outline Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW, October 5th-11th). In our community many of us have been directly affected by this illness, whether it be ourselves or close friends and family members. There’s nothing easy about mental illness and this broad term can carry many definitions. We believe that simply opening up this conversation to our readers and followers promotes knowledge and takes away from the mystery of mental health.
As we are a studio creating permanent art, Liquid Amber is constantly connecting with individuals who want to share and empower themselves through telling a story with tattoo, so to this we want to give back.
Unsure of how you would like to take action & get inspired? Check out the following...
Project Semicolon
"A semicolon represents a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to. That author is you and the sentence is your life.” Although tattoos were not originally a part of this project, they have helped make this movement well known internationally across social media.
Get Involved with Canadian Mental Health Association:
Visit this page for information on how you can donate, volunteer & become a member. http://www.cmha.ca/get-involved/#.VhS-JLyMDVo (3 branches near Vancouver!)
“Promote acceptance and actively challenge social stereotypes. Through powerful words and actions, we will shift the social and systemic barriers for those living with mental health conditions and encourage acceptance and understanding.” Visit the following link to sign the pledge. http://www.nami.org/stigmafree
Need to talk? Check out Agora Cares, and options through Canadian Mental Health Assosiation in British Columbia
Sources :
www.cmha.ca
www.camh.ca
www.projectsemicolon.org