Pubdate: Thu, 09 Oct 2014
Source: Journal-Pioneer, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2014 Journal-Pioneer
Contact:  http://www.journalpioneer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2789
Page: A6

TIME TO SHINE LIGHT ON MENTAL ILLNESS

It's a tragic ending to a tragic yet not uncommon story. Monday, RCMP 
Cpl. Ron Francis, whose battle with post-traumatic stress disorder 
made headlines across this country, ended his life.

Francis, a 21-year veteran of the Mounties, was on medical leave from 
his job with the RCMP's J Division in New Brunswick when his death occurred.

Sadly, his death comes during a week when the spotlight is squarely 
on mental illness in Canada.

Oct. 5 to 11 in Canada is Mental Illness Awareness Week, an annual 
national public education campaign designed to help Canadians open 
their eyes to the reality of mental illness.

Established in 1993, the week is co-ordinated by the Canadian 
Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health in co-operation with all 
of its member organizations and various other supporters across the country.

Mental illness is something many in this country face but few talk about.

Social stigma, one that shouldn't be but is often associated with 
mental illness, quite often prevents those who battle with mental 
health issues daily from sharing their stories and talking about 
their disease, even with their closest family and friends.

Francis chose not to keep his battle with mental illness hidden.

Known mostly for his stand on smoking medical marijuana, doing so in 
his RCMP uniform, he became somewhat of a poster child for 
post-traumatic stress disorder.

But it wasn't being allowed to smoking the medicinal drug while in 
uniform he wanted to highlight, rather, Francis wanted to shine a 
light on the lack of adequate services available for he and fellow 
officers to deal with PTSD.

Over the past nine years, there have been 16 suicides among serving 
RCMP members and 15 suicides among its retired members.

It's a staggering number, one that, quite possibly, adequate support 
services could have prevented.

Francis's death, while tragic, may help in accomplishing what he had 
initially set out to do. It may also help lift the veil from the 
social stigma associated with mental illness and raise the profile of 
not only PTSD but other disorders and mental health issues in this country.

Mental illness may truly be invisible, but that doesn't make it any 
less real for those affected by it.

And, just maybe, thanks to Francis and the exposure, both in life and 
in his tragic death, he gave to a battle many face daily, his fellow 
officers and everyday Canadians will in the near future easily have 
access to the services they need to cope and thrive.

Some good should and must come from Francis's death.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom