Everyone has mental health concerns from time to time. But what some may consider “normal” challenges can develop into a mental illness if left unaddressed. A mental illness is a medically diagnosed disorder that affects how a person thinks, behaves, and interacts with others. It can have a prolonged, negative effect on quality of life. • By age 40, about 50% of people will have—or will have had—a mental illness. • Approximately 11 Canadians die by suicide each day—about 4,000 people annually. Compare that to workplace-related fatalities, which are about three daily, or 1,017 per year Resources mentioned during the podcast can be located below, and within IHSA’s Assessing Your Mental Health Safety Talk.