January 28th is Bell Let’s Talk Day – Epilepsy and Mental Health

Bell Let’s Talk Day is today, Thursday January 28th and is a day when social media will be used to raise funds to support mental health initiatives and to increase the awareness of mental health issues and their associated stigmas in society. On this day, Bell will contribute 5¢ towards mental health initiatives for:

• Every text message sent from a Bell phone
• Every local or long-distance call made on a Bell phone
• Every use of the #BellLetsTalk hashtag on Twitter
• Every use of the #BellLetsTalk hashtag on TikTok
• Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame
• Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Snapchat filter
• Every view of the official Bell Let’s Talk Day video

Bell Let’s Talk Day is an important time to talk about the role that stigma plays in epilepsy. Despite being one of the most common neurological conditions, epilepsy is misunderstood, with many people still having inaccurate information, misconceptions, and outdated views about epilepsy, leading to increased stigma.

It has also been found that, for many people living with epilepsy, it is the emotional, social, and psychological stresses of epilepsy – not just the challenges of seizure control – that leave the deepest scars. In fact, some people living with epilepsy may also suffer from mental health issues due to a negative response to their epilepsy and may even keep their condition a secret, feel isolated from others or feel ostracized by society.

If you are a person living with epilepsy who is experiencing issues with your mental health due to your epilepsy, here are some options at your disposal:

• Join a Support Group:
  • Joining a support group can be helpful for your mental health as you can share your experiences and learn from others going through similar situations
  • Please click here for more information on BC Epilepsy Society’s online support groups
• Participate in our Project UPLIFT Program:
  • The second session of our 8-week Project UPLIFT program will begin on February 10th at 3:30 PM
  • Project UPLIFT uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness teachings to help people living with epilepsy with their mental health
  • For more information, please email Sonia at sonia@bcepilepsy.com
• Practice Mindfulness:
  • Practicing mindfulness through things like meditation and/or yoga can be helpful for your mental health
  • If you are interested in trying out yoga, please click here to register for the Mindful Movement with Dela, a free weekly online yoga class that occurs every Wednesday at 12 PM until March 3rd
• Practice Self-Care:
  • Self-care in the form of taking time out for yourself and participating in your hobbies can be helpful for your mental health
  • If one of your hobbies is reading, please click here to register for the BC Epilepsy Society Book Club which is a weekly book club beginning tomorrow, Friday January 29th at 12 PM

We hope that these options help you with your mental health! If you or a friend, family member, or loved one require immediate mental health support, please call the BC Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433.

Find out more about Bell Let’s Talk Day here and follow Bell Let’s Talk on Twitter here, Instagram here, and Facebook here. If you participate in Bell Let’s Talk Day this year, be sure to mention how stigma and mental health affects epilepsy in your posts! Happy Bell Let’s Talk Day everyone!