Superhero - A Visual Poem

Mental illness touches everyone: our friends, co-workers, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters ... and even our children. The statistics are staggering ... 1 in 5 suffer from a mental illness, that's 20% of our population but yet only 4% of the total healthcare budget is spent on our mental health. As a result, mental illness drains 51 billion dollars in lost productivity from the Canadian economy each year. We need to do more than just talk about it, we need to invest in programs and services that will make a difference in people's lives. The stigma is huge and until we accept people with a mental illness we won't be able to move forward and make a real difference. Remember mental illness affects us all so please help where you can. Let's start with acceptance.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• mental health
• superhero
• laura burke
• poetry
• spoken word
• poem
• visual poem
• mental illness
• canada
• canadian
• schizophrenia
• skitzophrenia
• depression
• bipolar
• disorder
• bulimia
• anorexia
• attention deficit disorder
• healthcare
• stigma
• anti-stigma
• NS Mental Health Foundation
• Nova Scotia
• Halifax
• Festival of Trees

[OfficialPostSecret]

Bravo!

I would be very interested in teaming with Egg Films for the next PostSecret video.

-Frank Warren

[hachey1234]

@OfficialPostSecret

Would love to collaborate with you Frank.  Thanks for your feedback!

[hachey1234]

More Facebook comments ...

Stephen Dawe - Amazing work Mike. Great stuff. Definitely passing this on. Saw a few other names in the mix there too. Great work to all involved and a beautiful story.

Melissa Sanderson Wow hachey and egg films, great job. Very touching. A power, simple story.

Justin Simard - Mike, this was wonderful. I cried. Like, actually cried. Amazing, amazing, amazing work.

[hachey1234]

Wanted to post Facebook comments ...

Carol Ritchie - A true work of art created with authenticity, courage and generosity all round. Beautiful.. fragile.. powerful...

Krista Cook - Amazing work - it took me on a ride of emotions.

John Smith - Mike. This is beautiful and brilliant.

Dennis Page - Two thumbs up

Jocelyne Saulnier love the filming; her voice is awesome and the music gave me chills.

Jacquie Thillaye - Oh, yeah! This works, Mike- way to go to all of you.

[Mellybeans0919]

This is beautiful.

[negritacornejo]

Your video transcends the topic of mental illness... it is so beautiful. Perhaps unknowingly, but you have described what it takes to lead a spiritual life or to recover from a trauma. <3 Thank you.

[riverdwell]

I flagged this video as inappropriate and infringing my rights, despite the excellent photo quality of the video, because they didn't close caption.

[ViciousPapaDSmoov]

loved it... check me. help me to become better at what I enjoy so much.

[Black2612]

Where once we would have been locked away in bedlams, we are now forced live among the "Normals" and make our own way. Honestly, I don't know which is worse. This poem, for me, was like the hand of a friend guiding me back to the straight and narrow path. Thank you, Laura Burke. You are an inspiration!

[Scrb]

I can't express how many times I've watched this video.

I watch it when I'm happy or sad, it doesn't depend on my mood. And it always touches somewhere deep within my soul therapists or friends and family were never able to reach.

This video really made me feel like I'm not alone and I don't have to be. I can't say thank you enough for this, because in some of my darkest hours I will watch this and... It might really save me one day.

[0emprod]

I was so very moved by this. It really struck me deeply.

[zelma20]

Another opening to the light! Most of the suffering of this 20% of our population suffer as much from the reaction of the so called "Normals" as much as they do from the illness itself. With knowledge and medication and what ever is left of free will...you can have a mildly rocky but useful and rewarding life. I have proof..still living at 81 and the curse of bipolar really caught up with me at 16. It has been both destructive and in many ways rewarding.

[zelma20]

Another opening to the light! Most of the suffering of this 20% of our population suffer as much from the reaction of the so called "Normals" as much as they do from the illness itself. With knowledge and medication and what ever is left of free will...you can have a mildly rocky but useful and rewarding life. I have proof..still living at 81 and the curse of bipolar really caught up with me at 16.