This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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'See Me' Campaign to end stigma of mental illness
08/10/2002
A national campaign called 'see me' which aims to tackle
negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems
was launched today.
It coincides with early findings from a survey which reveals
that although one in four of the Scottish population has
experienced a mental health problem and nearly three-quarters
know someone who has been diagnosed with one.
The shame of having a mental health problem is so high that
50% of respondents said if they developed a mental health
problem they would not want anybody to know about it.
The 'see me' campaign, funded by the Scottish Executive as a
key part of its National Programme for the Improvement of
Mental Health and Well-Being, aims to alter attitudes to show
"the person and not the label".
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"
Our National Health included a commitment to tackle the stigma which can be
associated with mental health problems. To this end, we have
funded an alliance of mental health organisations to develop
this work to end stigma and discrimination, as part of our
National Programme for Improving the Mental Health and
Well-Being of the Scottish Population.
"The issue is considerable and attitudes will not change
quickly. This sustained, high profile Scotland-wide anti-stigma
and anti-discrimination campaign will challenge and help
eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with mental
health problems.
"It is unacceptable for people with mental health problems
to be faced with discrimination. Under the Disability
Discrimination Act, discrimination on mental health grounds is
illegal, just as it is for physical illnesses. In fact, of the
hearings brought under the DDA on mental health grounds, one in
four have been successful.
"My Ministerial colleagues and I hope that by raising
general public awareness of mental ill health issues and
encouraging those with mental health problems to be seen as
individual people with a contribution to make to society, this
may also assist in making people more aware of their own mental
health problems so that they may seek help earlier. This helps
people to recover and to get on with their lives.
"Using a range of media, including TV and cinema
advertising, coupled with anti-stigma resource materials and a
new website the campaign will initiate, stimulate, promote and
complement national and local anti-stigma action by agencies,
organisations and groups in public, private and voluntary
sectors."
An alliance of five Scottish mental health organisations has
collaborated to develop and deliver Scotland's first national
anti-stigma campaign on behalf of the Executive.
The alliance comprises the Highland Users Group, National
Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland), Penumbra, the Royal
College of Psychiatrists and the Scottish Association of Mental
Health. The 'see me' campaign will be urging the public to 'see
the person not the label', asking them to re-think both their
attitudes and their behaviour towards people with a mental
health problem.
The National Scottish Survey of Public Attitudes to Mental
Health, Well Being and Mental Health Problems shows that one
third of those who had personally experienced a mental health
problem reported difficulties stemming from other people's
attitudes such as being discouraged from participating in
social events, discrimination at work or verbal abuse in
public, as a result of other people's attitudes towards their
mental health problem.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of people canvassed within the
attitudes survey felt that people with mental health problems
should have the same rights as anyone else and 98% of those
asked recognised that anyone can suffer from one. The survey
also suggests that around one third of those affected by mental
health problems had felt stereotyped or unfairly labelled by
their illness. Respondents reported having been discouraged
from participating in social events with friends, experienced
discrimination at work or been subject to verbal abuse in
public places.
The 'see me' campaign will help focus attention on the
individuals behind the statistics.
The campaign has recruited a number of volunteers who have
experienced stigma and discrimination because of their mental
health problems, to talk publicly about the impact of
stigma.
From being shunned in the family to losing a job, the
experiences of these individuals demonstrate the importance of
breaking down the ignorance and fear which surrounds mental
health problems.
'see me' campaign director, Linda Dunion, believes the
campaign has an important role to play in breaking down stigma
as well as helping to improve public understanding of mental
health generally.
She said:
"The survey suggests that half of us would be reluctant to
admit to having a mental health problem. This finding alone
gives some indication of the scale of the task facing the 'see
me' campaign.
"The shame, fear and ignorance, which still surround mental
health problems, have no place in the 21
st century. 'see me' aims to break down the
attitudes which too often upset and disadvantage people at the
very time when they need understanding and support."
Some of the mental health problems that the innovative
campaign aims to highlight include depression, bi-polar or
manic depression, schizophrenia and stress and anxiety.
The 'see me' awareness campaign is supported by a website
www.seemescotland.org which will act as a signpost site for those researching
information on mental health problems and support services in
Scotland.