The Canadian Mental Health Association released a new national study for Mental Health Week that found that while 92 percent of Canadians see themselves as compassionate, only 38 percent take action to do so.
CMHA Grey Bruce Communications and Fund Development Manager, Don Vail, says there could be a number of factors for those findings.
"There were questions, as well, in the survey that were asking 'What is stopping you from being compassionate?' One thing in there was time, people just not having the time, we all have busy lives now. But another thing was not having the resources to give or to share to help someone. That's where we're really hoping that organizations such as ours, the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, people will search us out and find the resources," Vail said.
Vail adds that it's very important to consider how to be compassionate to others as a theme of Mental Health Week, and the are plenty of ways to find resources locally and on a broader scale.
"The best thing to do would be to go to our website, which is GreyBruce.CMHA.ca. There's a number of programs and services listed there, like addiction support, mental health, parent and family services, housing, case management, men's program. But there's also a number of things like crisis and support lines that are available throughout the province," shared Vail.
Additionally, Vail notes that the study was done to highlight how important being compassionate is as the theme to Mental Health Week, but also to remind us all that taking care of our own and each other's mental health isn't just about one week.
"Mental Health is 24/7, 365. We all go through challenges at different times and we all know people going through challenges, so we hope also that weeks like this, where we specify that this is the week to highlight, that tbis will create the conversation. That this will help end the stigma when it comes to mental health. The more we talk about it, the better," Vail said.
Vail points out that you can call the CMHA Grey Bruce intake line, or you can visit MentalHealthWeek.ca, GreyBruce.CMHA.ca or MentalHealthGreyBruce.ca to find and access resources locally.
The study done by CMHA through the survey by Maru Public Opinion, states that "compassion, often mistaken for empathy, goes beyond merely understanding others' struggles—it involves taking actionable steps to mitigate suffering."
This year’s Mental Health Week theme, "Healing through Compassion," emphasizes the importance of transforming sympathetic feelings into concrete actions that support mental health and well-being.
“Compassion is the emotional response to the struggles of others combined with a real, authentic desire to help lessen their suffering and respond with care,” shared Margaret Eaton, National CEO, CMHA. “With so much hardship going on in the world, compassion is needed now more than ever. We’re seeing a lot of people wanting to be more compassionate, but not knowing how. The good news is that compassion is part of our human nature and can be learned and practiced. In fact, giving compassion, receiving compassion, and allowing ourselves to experience self-compassion are all very beneficial to our mental health.”
"At CMHA Grey Bruce, our commitment to compassion is central to everything we do, deeply embedded in our Values statement alongside dignity, inclusivity, integrity, and choice. We view compassion as essential for creating a supportive, understanding community where every individual feels valued and connected," added Stephen Musehl, CEO, CMHA Grey Bruce.
Additional Findings from the Survey:
Compassion: from empathy to action - While more than three quarters (76%) of Canadians feel compelled to get involved and help when someone is struggling, less than 4-in-10 (38%) took action over the last year. Half (48%) say they just don't have the time or resources given everything else going on in their life.
Compassion in action - Some Canadians took more than one action in support of different causes. Over the last year, this compassionate group of citizens showed compassion in the following ways:
Donated money to a charity (58%)
Volunteered (35%)
Raised awareness for a cause (35%)
Took action (signed petitions, participated in protests, attended rallies, wrote to their elected official, etc.) (33%)
Spoke out on social media (32%)
Helped organize/participated in activities (26%)
Joined a group, club or movement for a cause (14%)
Employers increasingly recognize the importance of taking action to support those in need in the workplace: 68% of workers report that their workplace offers programs and support systems for those experiencing personal and professional struggles.
Issues Canadians care about - Canadians recognize there are inequities in our country that cause suffering. In response, some get involved and try to make things better.
This group took action over the last year to help make a difference in the areas of:
Mental illness or mental health concern (16%)
Environmental crisis/sustainability (16%)
Poverty/homelessness/food insecurity (13%)