A local charity has launched a new campaign aimed at tackling the stigma of mental health.
Action Mental Health’s ‘I Am Someone’ campaign supports World Mental Health Day on October 10.
The campaign, which has been backed by Ballymena-born actor James Nesbitt and Newtownards-born Olympic gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan, shares the experiences of people who have accessed mental health support from the charity.
It aims to “remind us of the likelihood that we all know someone who has faced or will face mental health challenges”.
Pledging his support, Mr Nesbitt said: “I’m delighted to be supporting Action Mental Health’s ‘I Am Someone’ campaign. Mental health matters and it’s something which affects us all.
“We often hear about how bad healthcare waiting lists are in Northern Ireland and how mental health services are close to breaking point. We therefore need to ensure that timely access to support is there when and where people need it.”
Charity ambassador Rhys McClenaghan said that he hopes the campaign “will keep the conversation going about mental health and serve as a reminder to us all that there are real people behind the statistics we read about, but that help is available, no matter what you’re going through”.
Studies show that one in five people in Northern Ireland will experience mental health issues in their lifetime.
Through the inspiring stories the charity hopes to convey that, with the right intervention, recovery is possible.
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Last year, Action Mental Health delivered more than 16,000 wellbeing sessions to almost 3,000 individuals and families.
Lisburn-based Ross Anderson (26) availed of Action Mental Health’s services in the past and shared his mental health journey with the charity.
He has been in and out of mental health systems for most of his life and recalled being housebound for a few years before seeking the charity’s help.
Ross said: “After some waiting and fighting for support, I began to meet with a community psychiatric nurse, who made a huge difference in my life. One of the things she did to help me was refer me to Action Mental Health.
“Even going along to check the service out was a massive step for me. I was so anxious, but after chatting with Carol-Anne I began to feel settled. I felt safe and I felt comfortable.”
Also sharing her mental health journey was Deirdre Kennedy (50), from Newry.
“I didn’t realise how ill I was when I left work,” she said. “I thought I was just really, really tired, but I was also crying all the time. I was nervous and irritable but didn’t even notice.”
Deirdre received cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), but once her programme finished she still felt that she had a long way to go. That’s when the CBT team recommended Action Mental Health.
“Over my time, I availed of so many different courses. I’m a teacher and I love to learn,” she explained.
“I did classes on confidence, self-esteem and teamwork. I got to know people, and those people called out qualities in me I hadn’t seen in so many years. I was starting to live again.”
Mental health services in Northern Ireland are seeing increased demand for support, while facing significant budget constraints.
Action Mental Health’s campaign is seeking to the “critical” state of NI’s mental health services.
David Babington, CEO at Action Mental Health, said that when discussing the statistics behind service delivery, it was easy to forget that “we are talking about people — their lives, their careers, their futures”.
He added: “This campaign provides some ownership to those who experience a wide range of mental ill-health and, as a result, are directly affected by ongoing funding cuts, closures of support services and programmes.”
Attending the launch of the campaign, NI’s Mental Health Champion Professor Siobhan O’Neill said: As Mental Health Champion, I’ve seen the amazing work undertaken by community and voluntary sector services across NI, to support those struggling with their mental health.
“It’s wonderful to read the stories of the people who have benefited from the support offered by Action Mental Health and it’s important that we celebrate these services and acknowledge their essential role in providing support to people across NI.
“However, every day more and more services are struggling to keep their doors open as funding grows thin.
“We urgently need investment in the third sector and full funding for the Mental Health Strategy to achieve the transformation of mental health so all those who are struggling can people can receive the help that they need.”
Portraits of the participants, along with their stories, will be exhibited at Stormont’s Long Gallery for the next two weeks.