CALGARY – Alberta Liberal leader David Swann says he knows personally how difficult it can be to deal with depression.
Swann, who is a medical doctor, says he struggled with depression in 1990 after coming back from the Philippines where he co-ordinated a primary health care project for the University of Calgary.
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He announced a $75.5-million investment for mental health and addictions while at a campaign stop in Calgary.
Swann says more than 20 per cent of Albertans have experienced a major mental health issue, with 75 per cent of those before the age of 18.
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He says despite public campaigns and discussions about depression, it still remains a stigma for many people.
Swann says the financial costs of mental illness are immense and leave businesses with billions of dollars in lost productivity.
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