2nd Annual #YEGsemicolon event breaking down mental health stigma

EDMONTON — Hundreds of Edmontonians showed their support for those struggling with mental health issues by rolling up their sleeves and getting inked with a semicolon tattoo.

“There is a community out there that wants to help them,” Wendy Enberg, chair of the Edmonton Mental Health Awareness Committee, said. “I believe that people are wanting to talk about it now more and they want to be heard, and this a venue for them to be a voice.”

Over 800 Edmontonians signed up to receive a semicolon tattoo, a symbol of support for mental health.

“I think it’s a real interesting way to get at the stigma of mental health,” Scott McKeen said. The Edmonton city councillor added, “it brings a sort of ‘hipness’ to it and young people are much more into tattoos than old folks like me. So it’s drawing a new generation into talking about mental health.”

A semicolon is used when an author could have ended a sentence — but chose not to.

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The family-friendly event takes that analogy one step further, by not only encouraging a show of support for those struggling — but also providing the necessary services for those suffering with mental health issues, like depression or suicide.

“Ultimately what we’re talking about is suicide,” McKeen said. “We really have to encourage young people in particular to talk about suicide — to say it’s not shameful to have those thoughts. Unfortunately as a culture, we’ve sent the message for too long that you couldn’t talk about suicide.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Ultimately what we're talking about is suicide," McKeen said. "We really have to encourage young people in particular to talk about suicide — to say it's not shameful to have those thoughts. Unfortunately as a culture, we've sent the message for too long that you couldn't talk about suicide."

McKeen was the first to received a semicolon tattoo in 2015, and added a second tattoo this year.

The #YEGsemicolon event also included several guest speakers, entertainers and access to community mental health services.

Enberg said the goal each year is to break down the feeling of isolation so many people struggle with. “They can’t talk about it or there aren’t services for them. An event like this helps them know that they aren’t alone and there are services out there that can help them.”

She added it’s about “being around people who understand your journey and celebrate it.”

Over $50,000 was raised for Momentum Walk-in Counselling, which is double the amount raised at the 2015 event.

Plans are already in the works to make next year’s event even bigger.

“It’s our time to be heard. We’re not ashamed. We’re not afraid to speak up and we need services,” Enberg remarked. “We need help and we need compassion.”

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