Ride Don’t Hide: Bring Mental Health into the Open

We are a couple of weeks away from this year’s Ride Don’t Hide to support the Canadian Mental Health Association. Ride Don’t Hide is a nationwide community bike ride that aims to bring awareness to mental health and raise funds for programs in our community. Everyone deserves to feel well, whether we have a mental illness, or whether we sometimes just struggle to feel like our best selves.

One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in any given year, but five in five – all of us – have mental health. And just like our physical health, we all need to take care of it.

The good news is – Many of the things we do to care for our physical health are also good for our mental health. And getting out on your bike – soft, spring sunshine on your face, fresh air and the open road ahead of you – can be a serious boost to your mood and your mental health.

This year, the staff from Crowfoot and Sunridge Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy will be riding the 10k in support of the Calgary Mental Health Association. Click the link to see our fundraising page. You can join our team, donate to the cause, or volunteer at the event! We will also have a tent at the event with a chance to win a $250 MEC gift card or a pair of SIGVARIS athletic sleeves.

Let’s all strive for better mental health; our pharmacists can help. If you are unsure of what you need or looking for some validation to how you are feeling, here are our recommended resources to get you started.

For better work-life balance, beating insomnia, managing anxiety, coping with stress, or any other information please click the links attached.

Mental health encompasses so many different things. It means supporting a friend who is depressed. Accepting the family member that has OCD. Encouraging the mom who is struggling with postpartum depression. Welcoming the person with bipolar disorder who feels as though they have never been accepted. Assisting the child in class with ADHD. Being open and accepting of the friend battling an eating disorder. Creating dialogues, not debates about addictions, and so much more.

Mental health takes many different forms and it’s up to us to break down the barriers and stop hiding from the topics that make us uncomfortable. It starts by changing our attitude regarding mental health topics. It won’t happen overnight, but we can start making small changes in our daily lives to be more open and accepting of our own struggles, and the ones of others.

As a pharmacy team, we are changing the way we provide patient care. With more one-on-one personal time we offer a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who comes in our door.

Thank you for your support in helping us to beat the stigma surrounding mental health. We hope to see you on June 23 for Ride Don’t Hide!