Breaking Down Stigma

Given the prevalence of mental health problems we probably all have colleagues, friends and family who have been affected by this issue or who may need support in the future.  Yet mental health is one of society’s last great taboos. A subject wrapped in secrecy there is a lot of stigma and fear and people coping with mental illness are often isolated. Nine out of ten people with mental health issues experience stigma and discrimination.

In 2007 the Time to Change campaign was launched to tackle mental health stigma by getting people to talk about it.  More and more people from the creative industries have been talking openly about their experiences and in many ways this has made it easier for other people to do the same.

The campaign is still running with lots of ways to help further break down stigma including the National Time to Talk Day every February.

In 2016 the Heads Together campaign was launched with the aim of ending stigma around mental health by raising awareness and providing help for people with mental health challenges.