[Peer - Rethink]

New campaign calls for England to ‘get talking’ to tackle mental illness taboo

"Online survey reveals two out of three workers are scared to tell colleagues about their mental health problemsand many with mental illnesses have had a negative experience talking about it with those closest to them.

PEOPLE in England need to get past the fear andawkwardness of talking about mental illnesses and be more open about mentalhealth if we’re going to break down stigma and take the taboo out of somethingthat affects us all, says England’s leading mental health anti-discriminationprogramme Time to Change.

To help end the silence around mental health problems, Time to Change is launchinga new nation-wide campaign called ‘It’s time to talk, it’s Time to Change’ onMonday 21^st March. The campaign addresses the reluctance many of usfeel in talking about mental illnesses and encourages conversations aboutmental health with those around us.

A recent online survey conducted by Time to Change looking intoconversations around mental health has highlighted the hesitation people with mental health problems feel in opening up to those around them, especially whencompared to talking about physical health problems.

In the survey, only one in three respondents(29.7%) said they would feel comfortable telling a work colleague they had beenoff work as a result of their mental illness, while nine out of 10 respondents(88%) said they would feel comfortable saying they had been away from work fora physical health problem.

Many respondents said they had had a negativeexperience when talking to work colleagues (41.5%), friends (47.5%) and familymembers (54.6%) about their mental health problem. Additionally, numerousrespondents who had not yet spoken out about their mental health said they wereworried that they would face a negative response if they did, especially in theworkplace (33.9%).

Did you see our television campaign last night? What did you think? Please let us know in the comments section below.

There is also an interactive version of the advert on the Time To Change YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/ttcnow2008

[Universal Credit]

There are very few vacancies for the paranoid schizophrenic minority so I couldn't really comment.

[mias]

I think most people will automatically assume that Dave has been on sick leave with Depression, Stress or Breakdown.



Hey, is this a shortened version? I am sure I saw a different one last night.

[ANotherusername]

Not seen this on TV yet. Could do with getting it on more but if it's only just started then maybe we'll see it a bit more often. Hope it isn't hidden away like the really good ones they did for Domestic violence last year.

[mias]

The problem with adverts these days is, a lot of people now have Sky etc. in which case many will choose what they watch and skip the ads.

[Universal Credit]

I think they missed the massive amount of passive aggression and workplace bullying that is a reality for many, especially those on a low income where the grunts & nasties dwell. The advert seemed to portray a layed back workplace where time isn't money and people have time to talk? I doubt any employer is going to pay by the hour for the staff to set up a self help group except in a failing large organisation...or maybe the staff are not being payed because they are part of The Big Society 'dream' and live on thin air?

They appear to have targetted a scenario, rare to unique, where talking would occur natuarally? I don't get what is being achieved with the advert when it doesn't challenge the reality of target driven schedules, high expressed emotion, passive aggression and so forth? Verbal bullying is a hallmark of people working within a real highly competitive workplace. With this advert you'd think they were working in a library?

[mias]

I think that most people that actually knew 'Dave' would just say Hi, welcome back. Glad you are feeling better. There may even be one or two that are more interested in what he had been through (usually someone else that has also been through something similar). Just as advert suggests they may be a bit worried as they probably won't know or have been told exactly was wrong with him and unless people are made aware they never will.

I think the advert is good.


A little like this?

I had one of those awful phone calls two nights ago and my lovely great Aunt has been diagnosed with cancer. I don't know what to say to her or her husband (who will be devastated), so I am going to send her a letter instead! also, I know a Nan of one of my pupils has had bowel cancer and I want to ask her about the treatment etc. but I don't want to bring it up.

Not everyone talks to me about my brother either. I know many would have been thinking about it and talking about it but just not to my face.

Not all people are unkind if they don't greet or chat with 'Dave', they may just feel they can't find the right words to speak out, then of course there are always those that don't even give a thought about anyone other than themselves so they won't speak cause they don't even care and the rest will most likely just talk behind his back! good or bad.

[ramboself]

My experience in the workplace i wouldn't expect anyone to put up with, the constant talk about how i was unfit for work, the jokes "give me a job i can do that, i'm mentally ill"

It wasn't a good experience for me maybe they're right i am unfit for work, i just hope i can explain that at some benefit interview

Remember offfering to sweep the streets, personel said it takes teamwork to sweep the streets

Anyway unemployment is expected to go up not down, and minority groups are the first sacked

[Lisa]

I think it is expected (maybe a British thing?) that if someone asks how you are, you just say "Fine thanks," even if your leg is about to drop off.
I would worry that this ad makes it look like if you ask someone with MH problems how they are, they are - horror of horrors - going to start a conversation with you about it!! This might put some people off even acting normally and asking how the person is, and make them avoid talking to the person altogether.
But that might just be me. I don't like talking to people.

[Blue]

i think any adverts supporting mental health issues can only be a good thing x i also think early education in schools should be a priority x

[Universal Credit]

There appears to be a subtext coming from the interplay of special effects and quiet surroundings that provides a counterproductive 'drama queen' message from the ad, as well.

[ghost]

Whilst I applaud these things it would be nice to see 'Dave' be accepted whether he has a guitar or turns to sand. If Dave turned to sand in front of me I would talk to the sand, If he sang I would listen

[Universal Credit]

ghost, on 24 March 2011 - 10:34 PM, said:

Whilst I applaud these things it would be nice to see 'Dave' be accepted whether he has a guitar or turns to sand. If Dave turned to sand in front of me I would talk to the sand, If he sang I would listen

You need to do special effects like a movie superhero to be listened too is what their trying to say? I'm sorry I can't turn into a pile of sand on demand just like that...

[firemonkey]

What about an ad challenging the stigma against those who can't work who are being branded as scroungers by this reactionary,sociopathic government?

[Lisa]

firemonkey, on 25 March 2011 - 07:29 AM, said:

What about an ad challenging the stigma against those who can't work who are being branded as scroungers by this reactionary,sociopathic government?

Seconded!

[ghost]

firemonkey, on 25 March 2011 - 07:29 AM, said:

What about an ad challenging the stigma against those who can't work who are being branded as scroungers by this reactionary,sociopathic government?

Theres no money in that FM

Quote

FD-You need to do special effects like a movie superhero to be listened too is what their trying to say? I'm sorry I can't turn into a pile of sand on demand just like that...

I was just walking down the beach, ranting to myself, having a full blown discussion, gesturing and all sorts. I turned to my right and there was 4 golfers just staring at me, so embarrassing. In truth we suffer symptoms and should be respected and valued irrespective of the level of perceived 'normal' behaviour or irrespective of if we can work. We are the only minority group that has these proviso's tagged on in regard to equality.

[Lisa]

ghost, on 25 March 2011 - 02:39 PM, said:

I was just walking down the beach, ranting to myself, having a full blown discussion, gesturing and all sorts. I turned to my right and there was 4 golfers just staring at me, so embarrassing. In truth we suffer symptoms and should be respected and valued irrespective of the level of perceived 'normal' behaviour or irrespective of if we can work. We are the only minority group that has these proviso's tagged on in regard to equality.

I have often considered the possibility of being "normal" - living a "normal" life, with a "normal" job, having a "normal" relationship, and raising my kids in a "normal" house.
I think we would all have utterly hated it.

Look at it this way: four grown men were standing around in bad jumpers, trying to knock a small ball into a distant hole with a metal pole - but society says that is fine, and you have a problem. Bizarre.

[I am an Aardvark]

I'm never gonna be Normal - & proud of it.

[BipolarJ]

Now this is where I'm afraid I'm going to become unpopular very quickly, because I HATE this new Time to Change advert.

For a start, it's stupid. I don't generally mind stupid adverts (some of them make me laugh) but this one I find offensive and very dangerous. It's trying to help sufferers, but I fear that - in some cases - it may just have the opposite effect.

The way it shows the guy flipping out in different manners is downright counterproductive. I've enough people who have called me a crazy or a fruitcake in the past thank you so very much, without this kind of encouragement. Yes, I know the point is the final bit where he responds "I'm fine, good days and bad days", but knowing human nature as I do, I really don't think that's the part most non-sufferers will remember.

No, it'll be the bit where he starts eating things or singing songs. Cue all the idiotic jokes at work like "Oh you're not going to start talking into your shoe are you?", as if things weren't bad enough.

Secondly, not all of us who suffer want our conditions highlighting like this. So you may think it's nice to ask someone "how are you feeling?", but from my point of view if I walked into an office and everyone started asking me how I was, it would only serve to remind me WHY they were asking - and consequently most likely trigger me into a relapse. It would certainly trigger off my anxiety issues if nothing else because I would wonder what everyone was really thinking about me. 'Why are they all quizzing me?' sort of reaction.

For me - and by the law of averages, I can't imagine I'm the only sufferer in the world who feels this way - encouraging people to start questioning me about it is a bad idea. More harm than good. Far better to just leave me to it, and treat me like everyone else.

And another thing, what's with the lowered saturation in these scenes? It looks like the colouring has been deliberately dulled down, and to me that instantly creates this boring aura that almost screams out 'look at this pair of losers'.

I'm afraid I find this advert highly inappropriate. I know from past experience how some non-sufferers see sufferers, and a lot of them are soon going to be sick and tired of having mental health rammed down their throats like we're some sad cases crying out for attention. I'm a sufferer myself and I'm already sick of seeing it!

The bigoted among us won't even want to acknowledge this advert. So it's wasted on them.

Those who understand mental health issues don't need it.

And for the middle group - those who are sensitive to mental health but don't understand it very well - it does absolutely nothing at all.

Far better to run a campaign explaining some of the symptoms. If you want to raise awareness, do it that way through newspaper articles, magazines, blogs etc. Don't shove it in people's faces on the TV in this meaningless way.

I know, ridiculously long post. But this advert just infuriates me, and I had to get that off my chest.

[mabel]

Bipolar Plonker, on 21 January 2012 - 02:17 PM, said:

Now this is where I'm afraid I'm going to become unpopular very quickly, because I HATE this new Time to Change advert.

For a start, it's stupid. I don't generally mind stupid adverts (some of them make me laugh) but this one I find offensive and very dangerous. It's trying to help sufferers, but I fear that - in some cases - it may just have the opposite effect.

The way it shows the guy flipping out in different manners is downright counterproductive. I've enough people who have called me a crazy or a fruitcake in the past thank you so very much, without this kind of encouragement. Yes, I know the point is the final bit where he responds "I'm fine, good days and bad days", but knowing human nature as I do, I really don't think that's the part most non-sufferers will remember.

No, it'll be the bit where he starts eating things or singing songs. Cue all the idiotic jokes at work like "Oh you're not going to start talking into your shoe are you?", as if things weren't bad enough.

Secondly, not all of us who suffer want our conditions highlighting like this. So you may think it's nice to ask someone "how are you feeling?", but from my point of view if I walked into an office and everyone started asking me how I was, it would only serve to remind me WHY they were asking - and consequently most likely trigger me into a relapse. It would certainly trigger off my anxiety issues if nothing else because I would wonder what everyone was really thinking about me. 'Why are they all quizzing me?' sort of reaction.

For me - and by the law of averages, I can't imagine I'm the only sufferer in the world who feels this way - encouraging people to start questioning me about it is a bad idea. More harm than good. Far better to just leave me to it, and treat me like everyone else.

And another thing, what's with the lowered saturation in these scenes? It looks like the colouring has been deliberately dulled down, and to me that instantly creates this boring aura that almost screams out 'look at this pair of losers'.

I'm afraid I find this advert highly inappropriate. I know from past experience how some non-sufferers see sufferers, and a lot of them are soon going to be sick and tired of having mental health rammed down their throats like we're some sad cases crying out for attention. I'm a sufferer myself and I'm already sick of seeing it!

The bigoted among us won't even want to acknowledge this advert. So it's wasted on them.

Those who understand mental health issues don't need it.

And for the middle group - those who are sensitive to mental health but don't understand it very well - it does absolutely nothing at all.

Far better to run a campaign explaining some of the symptoms. If you want to raise awareness, do it that way through newspaper articles, magazines, blogs etc. Don't shove it in people's faces on the TV in this meaningless way.

I know, ridiculously long post. But this advert just infuriates me, and I had to get that off my chest.

I saw that advert and I have to agree with you. It is far too subtle for the vast majority of the British public.

What about adverts showing what this illness is really like and how it devastates families?