Mental illness isn’t a laughing matter…or is it?
At the 2011 Mental Health Summit, hosted by Benefits Canada at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto on Nov. 10, 2011, keynote speaker David Granirer described how Stand Up for Mental Health is changing the dialogue.
This program, which Granirer created, teaches people with mental illness to do stand-up comedy. Sound counterintuitive? “It’s a completely different perspective on mental illness,” Granirer said. “How often do you hear ‘funny’ and ‘schizophrenia’ in the same sentence?”
As Granirer knows first-hand from his battle with depression, mental illness can significantly lower one’s self-esteem. Stand Up for Mental Health aims to empower those who are suffering from mental health issues.
Students of the program also benefit from an in-built support group, a taste of success—when typically, they’re focusing only on their failures—and mastery of a skill that helps to level the playing field between them and so-called “normal people,” Granirer said. “I don’t see someone with schizophrenia or bipolar [disorder]…I see a stand-up comic, and I treat them like a stand-up comic.”
Due to feelings of fear and shame, many people with mental illness adopt a “cloak of invisibility” that keeps them isolated, Granirer explained. “In our system, we lack creative ways of reaching out to people.…People are afraid to speak out.” In developing their comedic routines, his students draw openly and honestly upon their own experiences, which gives them a voice to share their stories.
Granirer hopes that Stand Up for Mental Health will motivate those who’ve suffered in silence to connect with others and take control of their future.
“You can’t change the past—but you can get the last laugh.”
Want to learn more about Stand Up for Mental Health? Find videos and more information at standupformentalhealth.com.
Full coverage of the Mental Health Summit will appear in the January 2012 issue of Benefits Canada. For a sneak peek, read our quick coverage report: Employers need mental health road map.
Video interviews from the summit are available on BenefitsCanadaTV.