"People with mental difficulties and their families fail to seek the care and support that they require for fear of being stigmatised” (World Health Organisation, 2007)

Ciaran Lynch and Kieran McMahon of Galway Mental Health Services, Siobhan Smyth and members of the School of Nursing & Midwifery, NUI Galway & Ciara Ford and Cyndy Dring of Student Services, NUI Galway are hosting a Mental Health Anti-Stigma Campaign during the Volvo Ocean Race Week in Galway.

The aim is to highlight & dispel myths surrounding mental health by raising awareness and challenging negative perceptions.

The Volvo Ocean Race revisits Galway City from Saturday 30th June to Sunday 8th July 2012.With an estimated footfall of 800,000 people it presents an ideal opportunity for HSE West and Galway Mental Health Service to promote mental health in a positive light over the week in the ‘The City of The Tribes’. Galway Mental Health Service has secured one of the 5m Pagodas in the Hospitality / Media area. In this space they plan to roll out an anti-stigma campaign which aims to dispel the myths surrounding mental health by raising awareness, promoting positive mental health and challenging the negative perceptions associated with mental health.

Guests to raise the profile of the event!! Political: Taoiseach: Enda Kenny Minister for Mental Health: Kathleen Lynch, Junior Minister Ciaran Cannon From Sport: Joe Canning, Donal Og Cussack, Dessie Farrell GPA, Alan Quinlan, Jonathon Sexton and members of the Connacht rugby team. Media / Entertainment: Matt Cooper, Fergal Darcy, Ray Darcy, Keith Finnegan & Ryan Tubridy HSE: Martin Rogan & Cathal Magee

What are the issues?
Stigma is a major barrier preventing people from seeking help. Many people living with a mental illness say the stigma they face is often worse than the illness itself. Mental illness affects people of all ages and from all walks of life. One in four of us will experience a mental health difficulty at some stage of their lifetime. In 2010 See Change asked nearly one thousand people in Ireland about their attitudes to mental health. The results painted a worrying picture about how Ireland thinks about mental health problems and stigma that surrounds them. They found that:

• Almost 30% of young men would delay seeking help for fear of someone finding out.
• 33% would hide a mental health problems from their friends
• They also found that just 46% of people felt that people who experience mental health problems should have the same job rights as others.
• 20% said that they would be very comfortable working with someone with depression

This Anti-Stigma Campaign aims to:

• Raise awareness of mental health and promote the principles of recovery.
• Promote positive mental health.
• Challenge the negative perceptions associated with mental health.
• Promote the importance of family and others that are crucial to recovery.
• Promote the aspects of daily living that promote positive mental health throughout life.
• Assert that hope is central to recovery
• Highlight the importance of social inclusion as people do not recover in isolation.
• Focus on strengths and wellness and not symptoms.

Key Messages
It’s OK not to be OK.
Accessing the services is easy and managed professionally and sensitively.
Social inclusion and integration within communities is vital.

SO! Come see us in our pagoda for the entirety of the Volvo Ocean Race on the docks open from 11-3 & 3-7.

A big thanks to all the Mental Health Nursing students who are helping out!

To download our poster click here