Campaign launched to promote speaking up on mental health due to the stigma surrounding the topic
- Campaign launced to encourage people to speak up about mental health and aiming to help eradicate the stigma surrounding the topic
- Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide
- Mental health and behavioural problems like depression, drug use and anxiety are reported to be primary drivers of disability worldwide, causing over 40 million years of disability in 20 to 29 year olds
- It is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem.
Mental illness is a problem suffered by a vast amount of people, knowingly and unknowingly. Statistically one in four people will fight a mental health problem in any given year.
The stigma and discrimination against people has a significant impact on public health in England. This leads to the creation and maintaining on inequalities. This can vary from reduced life expectancy, poor access to mental health, increased possibility of contact with criminal justice systems and poverty and homelessness.
Mental health issues are particularly prominent in men due to the aforementioned stigma surrounding the topic. ‘Man up’ is a particularly jeopardising saying commonly used in society as men are perceived to be the ‘stronger sex’ and are often shamed and ridiculed when they show emotions and weakness. Even though women are statistically more likely to have a mental health problem than men, in 2013 6,233 suicides were reported. Of these suicides, 78% were men whilst the other 22% were women.
Kind Mind is a campaign launched to promote the conversation of mental health and ideally reduce the stigma surrounding it. #BeKindToYourMind is a hashtag we are using to reach people on Twitter.
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