I like this advert.
It's a good time of year for Bell to run this campaign because it's a brutal time for those of us who live in parts northern and also suffer with a mental illness.
During the months of my pregnancy, I asked every mother I knew what birth was really going to be like and every mother gave me the maddening answer that I would know when it happened. They were right, if asked by a first-time mum what birth is going to be like, I would give the same maddening answer.
Depressing is like that too. If a person has never experienced it, then there is no easy way to explain it to that person. The added stigma that mental health is all about just "getting happy" and "to stop being sad" adds another dimension. There are no easy answers.
The above advert has a lot going for it. The dark colouring is a great visual cue for what black moods can feel like. I like that the advert suggests that the woman calling in sick is successful. She has a nice house, a good job and is dressed well. I like that she looks so lost when she hangs up the phone. All she can do is call in sick even though she can barely define what that means to herself.
That's what it's like, confusing. Even to those of us who are aware of our problems and attempting to control the illness with all resources available, there are days when you feel like you're right back to square one.