If your car broke down on the Queensway at 2 a.m., can you think of two or three people outside of CAA and direct relatives that you could call for help?
“If you can’t think of three people, it’s time you start thinking about getting to know your neighbours and the people you work with,” said Alexandra Keay, the national co-ordinator of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Canadian Mental Health Week.
Held this week, the theme of the 59th annual Canadian Mental Health Week is “Building Your Mental Health one Support at a Time.”
The message of the week is to make people think about who they have to support them when they are facing a serious crisis in their lives.
It’s not good enough to have 600 friends on Facebook, said Keay, who is based in Ottawa.
“We’re talking about friends who you could call and say, ‘there is a family member who is sick, could you bring over some dinner?’” said Keay.
Despite sprawling social networks, Keay said people are not taking the time to cultivate relationships with co-workers, neighbours, and even old friends and family members.
