For nearly a decade, Chris Coulter has worked to spread awareness about the mental and emotional health of Canadian youth. His daughter Maddie lost her life to suicide nearly a decade ago after struggling with depression for most of her adolescence.
“Maddy was not your typical mentally ill type of person. She was popular, smart, and had a great sense of humor. She wasn't bullied. There were no real overt issues that most people would associate with someone dying of mental illness or depression or ultimately suicide,” Coulter said.
His daughter's experience was no exception, and many young people who deal with depression every day do not fit the mold. That is why it is important to spread awareness among parents and youth. You don't have to look depressed to be drowning inside, and the masks that young people often wear to hide these feelings, masks that protect them from the ongoing stigma surrounding mental illness, are difficult to take off.
Since losing Maddie, Coulter has continued to fight for better support for mental health through the education system, and with her newly written book, she hopes to provide parents with resources to help them navigate these difficult situations and help young people understand that it's never too late. It's preventing you from making the ultimate sacrifice before. .
Depression in Canadian youth and school systems.
According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, “For most adolescents with depression, the depression remains undetected and untreated.” More than 40% of people with depression develop depression before they become adults. In many cases, these people are not provided with the proper tools or training they need to not only express what they are experiencing, but also seek appropriate help with diagnosis and treatment.