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New campaign opens up about mental health

This news post is over 6 years old
 

​Campaign says the more we talk, the less stigma around mental health

Celebrities, bands and politicians, have started talking about mental health as part of a new campaign.

Frightened Rabbit, Alastair Campbell and model Bobby Crossan are among the thousands who have taken part in conversations this week to highlight the issue.

See Me, Scotland's programme to end mental health stigma, and clothing brand Abandon Ship have joined to get more people talking.

They are encouraging people to get online and pin a digital badge to their pictures on social media. They are also reaching out to people who have never spoken about mental health before, and encouraging them to ask questions using #PassTheBadge.

Some of Scotland's most influential bloggers have also joined the campaign to show life isn't what you see on social media.

Rich Davies, 31, who runs Abandon Ship, wanted to get people talking about mental health, after experiencing anxiety and panic attacks himself.

He said: "I started taking about it because I found that when you're struggling with your mental health it is one of the loneliest places you can be.

"You have all these conflicting thoughts in your head. I always thought of it as, I'm not myself today. It is really weird feeling to feel, and to not be able to explain it, or think anyone else has those feelings is difficult.

"As soon as I put that out there, people came back to me and said I know what you're feeling. As soon as you know you're not the only person that feels like that, it takes a tonne of pressure off you.

"It was a big thing for me to not feel alone.”

Calum Irving, See Me director, said: "We all have mental health, it's part of our day to day lives, and any of us could go through a tough period where we are struggling.

"Mental health shouldn't just be spoken about as a problem, if we just think of it like that then the stigma will never go away. So let's talk about our good mental health, our bad mental health and everything in between.

"We're all different, but we're all people. Mental health shouldn't define us, and if we are all talking about it, then it can't.

"With this campaign we want to create a safe space online for people to share their experiences and ask people questions about mental health which normally they may not feel comfortable doing."