[Admin - Rethink]

Why do we look different?

There are over 3 million people in this country affected by mental illness - people who urgently need support and information, hope and understanding. We are here for everyone with mental illness, as well as family, carers and friends.

But people have told us it sometimes takes years to find us - years of feeling isolated, confused and frustrated. That simply must change. We've looked in depth at how we can make ourselves more recognisable - and as a result we are now Rethink Mental Illness, a name that makes it very clear what we do and who we are for. We also have a strap-line ‘Challenging Attitudes, Changing Lives’, and a brand new look – it’s bold, friendly and positive, just like our approach to mental illness.

Many things haven’t changed and our mission is as clear as ever.

We also need you to help us to reach people - please visit us on Facebook and take part in a number of different and simple ways to tell people about Rethink Mental Illness and the work we do.

However, if you're a Rethink supporter and want to talk about these changes, we also want to hear your views here.

[mias]

Wasn't it Blue with Pink?

I liked the blue with the pink. Somehow it seemed a bolder font even a bit more friendly, if that makes sense. Personally I am not too keen on the blue with the red. It needs to be friendly/welcoming. (Is the blue the same blue)?

I agree with the 'making it clearer' though. People need to be able to search, 'help with mental health illnesses' and find it straight away.

Love the way you are always trying out new things on this site, it really is looking good.

[DeletedMember]

Arn't there more important things to be spending resources on than tinkering with the logo?

[Admin - Rethink]

Hi Ditko, I can understand that sometimes this sort of thing can look like a waste of money, but we've only done this after a lot of research told us that we could find and help more people by making this change - also, it didn't cost as much as you might think, certainly a lot less than other organisations have spent on similar exercises.

Have a look at our FAQ about the new look and if you're still not convinced, please come back here and tell us!

Thanks,

Chris

[CaptSpaceBat]

I think that "it does what it says on the tin" is a good means of branding and so I welcome this new look; will it be extended to the domain name too? Ah - Rethink do own rethinkmentalillness.org …

The tagline is quite close to Emergence's "changng attitudes, building lives"

[Admin - Rethink]

Hi Captain,

Thanks - and I think it's hard to do a strapline that is completely unique! We certainly didn't intend to copy anyone and fortunately I don't think any organisation will be adversely affected by our line - our us by theirs.

...And, yes, we have the long domain name but are sticking with www.rethink.org!

Chris

[ChrisB]

Why the full stop after "illness"?

[CaptSpaceBat]

Hi Chris, neither was intended as negative criticism in any way; more along the line that great minds think alike ...

[CaptSpaceBat]

ChrisB, on 18 September 2011 - 09:07 PM, said:

Why the full stop after "illness"?

I think that it fills the circle better, as well as making it seem a more definitive statement.

[DeletedMember]

My critique was based on the context of the current economic climate. I also get stressed by change.

[ChrisB]

Its getting people here that is the main issue, if this change helps then great..... not sure how it will attract more people though.

What we need is reciprocal links to this forum/website on every other mental health related website and notices and info on every mental health ward / centre and in every GP surgery........

[firemonkey]

mias, on 18 September 2011 - 03:41 PM, said:

Wasn't it Blue with Pink?

I liked the blue with the pink. Somehow it seemed a bolder font even a bit more friendly, if that makes sense. Personally I am not too keen on the blue with the red. It needs to be friendly/welcoming. (Is the blue the same blue)?

I preferred the blue with the pink.

[noidea]

firemonkey, on 18 September 2011 - 08:53 PM, said:

I preferred the blue with the pink.

I do too. I like the new logo.

[Admin - Rethink]

I'm going to just give my personal points of view here as we have the FAQ referred to earlier to give more detail... I've met a few people who preferred the pink - personally I like the red and there's a few of us too - just goes to show you can't please everyone, if you'll excuse the cliche. I think the red is a stronger colour which suits our passion, for instance in our campaigning - and the blue, which is still the dominant colour, helps prevent that being too strident. Still, I'm really glad to see discussion about it - in a way the worst thing would be if no-one cared.

Also thanks to Captain S for noticing that the full stop is a deliberate thing that helps make our name a sort of statement or command for people to literally Rethink Mental Illness, because we strive to make people reconsider their prejudices, or the current 'accepted' state of things, or whatever the stereotype or orthodoxy is that is negatively affecting people and needs to change. Again, I personally really like that - to me it's a little bit confrontational and challenging without being aggressive.

Going to sleep now (it's 11ish on Sunday at time of writing) but will be back tomorrow for more discussion.

[Admin - Rethink]

ChrisB, on 18 September 2011 - 09:43 PM, said:

What we need is reciprocal links to this forum/website on every other mental health related website and notices and info on every mental health ward / centre and in every GP surgery........

I couldn't agree more - we have lots more plans to come about making ourselves better known, and if you join us on Facebook this week you can help with a few modest but potentially really useful ways of spreading the word.

Also if you know a forum, blog or other website that could link to us but isn't yet, let me know and I will get onto it.

Cheers,

Chris

[mias]

Good Night Chris.


Have just had another look.

Rethink Mental Illness........That's really clever People do need to 'rethink' it don't they.

When typing R M I the capital I for illness can look like 3 L's though.


Illness.
Illness.
Illness.

Just testing different I's but not enough to try out

That's it for me too. Nite all.

[I am an Aardvark]

I just question in what way Rethink is Rethinking 'mental illness'?

Isn't the whole ethos of Rethink one of really quite orthodox & mainstream attitudes, assumptions & policy - People's brains aren't working properly - they need medication - people should treat them better?

I don't see what it's 'rethinking'?

[Admin - Rethink]

I am a Cat, on 19 September 2011 - 12:00 AM, said:

I just question in what way Rethink is Rethinking 'mental illness'?

Isn't the whole ethos of Rethink one of really quite orthodox & mainstream attitudes, assumptions & policy - People's brains aren't working properly - they need medication - people should treat them better?

I don't see what it's 'rethinking'?

Hi - perhaps it's just point of view, but the Rethink Mental Illness that I know is the one that is plural about treatment and often speaks out around issues of medication not being the only route. Our Fair Treatment Now campaign is almost entirely around extension of talking therapies to people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Here are some other examples of our non-'meds only' thinking and campaigning...

http://www.rethink.o...http://www.rethink.org/how_we_can_help/news_and_media/press_releases/rethink_response_to.html
“Our research found that fewer than two thirds (61%) of mental health service users had been offered psychological therapy as recommended by NICE. We know of one person with schizophrenia who had to wait ten years for talking therapy. Over the years he was prescribed a multitude of anti-psychotic drugs, and only after he had made several attempts to end his life was he given the proper psychological treatment. [...]
“We urge the government to look carefully at the research carried out by the CQC and by ourselves, and to recognise that in many areas the mental health system is already struggling. Any cuts to services must be carefully thought through to eliminate the risk of further negative impact on service users.”

http://www.rethink.o...http://www.rethink.org/how_we_can_help/news_and_media/press_releases/1_in_3_women_use_ant.html
"while there is always a place for medication, we have serious concerns about figures showing that 57% of people were not given an alternative. Rethink Mental Illness strongly believes that other methods, such as talking therapies, must be more widely available and used first"

Chris

[ChrisB]

I currently volunteer at my Mental health Trust on the Patient Experience panel - trying to improve services and treatment. The rethink advocate is there too on the panel.

I often observe how the staff dismiss or pay little attention to her and i cant get my head around this because when I challenge things on that panel, everyone agrees that enabling service users to be more personally responsible for their own recovery and treatment is the only way to sustain and maintain their lives in the hospital and community long term.

rethink (for me) is all about that, getting us to speak up for us, to have a say, to feel empowered - and just as improtantly getting the "normals" to listen - and yet it doesnt seem to be a friendly partnership between NHS and Advocacy yet - much more to be done me thinks!

[Admin - Rethink]

Thanks ChrisB that's great, I feel the same - but as you say there's always more to be done!