A Year of Mental Health Awareness By Carolyn McKeown Mental health issues have suddenly stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight throughout this past year. Illnesses including anxiety, depression, bipolar disease, and schizophrenia are no longer marginalized and are slowly being recognized as serious forms of sicknesses. Because of recent current events, from disturbing murders to the fateful suicide of Canada’s 15-year-old, Amanda Todd, mental illness is finally receiving the attention it has so badly required. The significance of having and understanding healthy mental development cannot be overstated. Many people recognize the importance of maintaining a sound mind, but few understand how critical mental and emotional problems are,…