Pubdate: Sat, 13 May 2006 Source: Toronto Star (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Toronto Star Contact: http://www.thestar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456 Author: Paul Garfinkel, DRAWING ATTENTION TO MENTAL HEALTH Re: A personal struggle revealed, May 12. How wonderfully appropriate that George Smitherman was inspired by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's Courage to Come Back Awards ceremony to share his own successful struggle with drugs and alcohol with Toronto Star reporter Robin Harvey. Harvey received a CAMH Courage Award this week for transcending her own challenge of bipolar disorder. When the minister of health of Canada's largest province talks publicly about his personal substance use problems, he performs a real public service. He draws attention to the fact that addiction and mental health issues affect more than one in every five Ontarians. He helps break down the insidious stigma against these health problems that still keeps more than 60 per cent of affected people from seeking help. And he offers hope and encouragement to our patients, clients and families who realize that they are not alone. As our health minister, Smitherman makes important professional decisions every day that impact the health of Ontarians. I believe that his personal decision to go public with his own substance use problems will prove to be one of his most powerful legacies. Smitherman is to be congratulated for sharing his story so generously with so many -- a story that will make a real and positive difference to the millions of Ontarians currently struggling with addiction and mental health problems. Paul Garfinkel, President and CEO, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman