STELLARTON - Another 10,000 kilometres to go and Michael Schratter says he won't have any problem getting off his bicycle one last time.
To some this may seem like a daunting task, but to Schratter it's the very last "long" leg of an incredible journey.
"I won't be any hurry to sit on a bike again," he said. "My biggest concern is my adjustment to becoming sedentary back home. For the last year, I've had dopamine kicks. I've always been one to bore easily and I wonder how I am going to adjust to this."
The Vancouver resident began his world-wide biking tour, Ride Don't Hide on Aug. 1, 2010 to raise awareness and funds for mental illness. His goal was to cycle 40,000 kms , the distance of the globe, crossing six continents and 30 countries.
Schratter admits he wasn't an accomplished athlete before he started off on his journey, but after living on the road for a year, he has never felt better both mentally and physically.
He said it's good to be back in Canada after touring such countries as Mexico, Columbia, Peru, Australia, China, Finland, Poland and Slovakia where language was a barrier, but the universal stigma associated with mental health still exists.
"In all of the countries I visited, about 20 per cent of the people in each country are afflicted with mental health issues, so to say it doesn't exist is b.s. What happens is it's not recognized," he said. "We are quite progressive here in Canada. The most progressive is Australia. There is a long term politician there who has worked hard to get this message out and when you are driving along the roads, you will see billboards of someone upset and website beyondblue.org. We've got a way to go, but Australia is a good role model."
He said the most important thing is for people to talk about their problems and for society to realize this is a legitimate disease that has been painted by an ugly brush by Hollywood movies and the media.
"There are many reasons why the stigma is so strong," he said. "I can't think of another human affliction left that is so misunderstood. When you look at our two big story telling machines - conveyors of reality - it's Hollywood and the news. Hitchcock invented it, the slasher genera, the whole thing of people wanting to be scared and there is nothing scarier than a human monster. The mentally ill are portrayed as dangerous. It is reinforced in the news. The only time a mentally ill person gets in the news is when they kill someone."
He said many people with mental illness can lead happy, productive lives with the help of medication, exercise, education and healthy living. It's a journey he is familiar with and one he believes shouldn't be traveled alone.
Schratter was diagnosed with hypomania in 1990, a mild form of bipolar disorder, and then was diagnosed with ADHD a few years later. He said he knew he was different as a kid and had a difficult time in social situations. At 10 years of age, he read Encyclopedia Britannica every night and learned about his mental illness. Throughout high school, he had problems with self-esteem and depression and admits later on in life he had suicidal thoughts, but realized it'd only hurt his family.
He first cycled across Canada in 1994 and throughout his journey, he was asked what motivated him to take on his adventure. He realized then that he wanted to ride around the world to raise awareness for mental health issues.
Schratter said once he overcame the physical difficulties of pedaling around the world, he concentrated mentally on making the trek. He admits there were days when he was ready to pack it all in, but the support he received from home and letters from people who suffer from mental health illness kept him going.
"Technology has made a big difference," he said. "I would Skpe or be on Facebook every night I stopped. There were only about five nights when I didn't speak to my fiancé."
He said boredom and isolation, pedaling for six hours or more a day, were the two major obstacles that he faced because he was alone in these foreign countries, but now that he is home in Canada, he has the support of family and friends on the road.
Schratter has raised more than $38,000 for the Canadian Mental Health Association and plans to be home in the late fall where he will resume his life as a teacher and part-time journalist.
He said the next big journey in his life, won't be on a bicycle, but instead he will concentrate on starting a family and raising awareness for his cause a little closer to home.
For more information on Schratter's journey or to donate to his cause, log on to www.ridedonthide.com. All money raised will go towards support for the Canadian Mental Health Association's initiatives for youth and youth-at-risk.
