In honour of mental health awareness week, InQuinte is shining a light on mental health champions within our community who bravely stepped up this year to share their stories.

In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.  Every year, 2.5 million Ontarians experience mental health and addictions challenges.  This week October 6-12 is Mental Illness Awareness Week in Canada, which coincides with World Mental Health Day focusing on suicide prevention on October 10.  For too long, a mental illness diagnosis was compounded by feelings of shame, weakness, or otherness. But since 1992, Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) has been pulling back the curtain on the stigma that colours lived experience.

Elissa's story:

Like most people, Elissa Robertson never imagined she would ever be homeless, but when she woke up on the street cold, exhausted and hungry she realized it can happen to anyone.

The 25-year-old Belleville woman shared her experience with InQuinte earlier this year on how she overcame the despair of homelessness and is helping others find stability and hope.

Isolated and haunted by violent images of her traumatic past, Robertson turned to alcohol to try and escape her pain. In no time she found herself living in a tent, scared with no where to turn.

“You can’t work on your mental health or physical health or anything without housing,” she said. “If you don’t know where you are going to eat or sleep, what do you do?”

With no money in her pocket, security or place to even charge a cell phone, Robertson said she couldn’t keep in touch with anyone.

“I was alone a lot of the time,” she continued.

Three years ago Robertson wanted to get help.

She went back to the Canadian Mental Health Association of Hastings and Prince Edward, that welcomed her with open arms.

Her first memory of the CMHA was at 14 when she participated in the annual Sleep Out So Others Can Sleep In event aimed at raising funds for their four transitional shelters.

At that time Robertson had a lot of stereotypes about homelessness in her mind and never suspected she would ever need their services.

But when she spent her 19th Birthday in one of their shelters, it was a huge turning point in her way of thinking.

“Due to stigma I thought it was my own personal failings. Addiction like mental illness is viewed as a personal failing. But when you look at substance use specifically there is a really big trauma piece to that.”

“When you talk about homelessness you hear people talk about drug addicts, they are just really ill informed. Even if someone is actively using they still deserve a safe place to live.”

When Robertson was ready for change, the CMHA was still there for her.

“It gave me so much hope to have a place to sleep and that an agency was willing to welcome me with all of the issues I was coming to with them with.”

Robertson celebrated a special anniversary this past December - three years sober.

“I am much better now,” she said smiling. “My mental health is a lot better. I was a bit of a mess. Since my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis, having an understanding of my trauma has been a game changer.”

Robertson now works with two local agencies providing assistance to survivors of domestic violence.

She and a group of women formed Warrior Women of Quinte aimed at promoting the unity and empowerment of marginalized individuals within the Quinte region. On a mission to do more, the Warrior Women created the Community Homeless Advocacy Team (CHAT) in 2018.

“We check places people maybe rough sleeping or spots that people may be out flying a sign and stop and talking to them.  We help get them connected with services and supports like transportation to meal programs and warm rooms."

The group has helped 20-30 people in Belleville by providing them with the proper supplies to stay warm like jackets, gloves, mitts, scarves, hygiene products and gift cards for food. They also carry sharps disposal bins and clean needle exchange kits.

Like her journey, Robertson said everyone’s story is wildly unique.

It could be job loss, illness, mental health or substance use she said.

She encouraged others struggling to reach out for support to agencies such as the CMHA or Freedom Support Centre downtown.

“It can really can happen to anyone we are just one bad situation away from being homeless. One paycheck, one illness that prevents us from working. It is really easy to be left without housing. It can happen to anyone.”

Since this story was originally published in Jan. 2019, Elissa has joined the Canadian Mental Health Association of Hastings and Prince Edward as a supppeted employment councilor.

For more information on Warrior Women of Quinte contact: warrior.women.of.quinte.@gmail.com (343) 600-5866.

The Canadian Mental Health Crisis Line at 1-888-757-7766 or The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868  all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, might be suffering from mental health issues.