NHS Trust launches ‘1 in 4’ campaign

‘Stop the stigma – make that a New Year’s resolution’ says the South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust as it launches a new campaign.

The campaign features a poster that highlights the fact that 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in the course of a year and challenges the stigma that surrounds mental health problems. The poster will be displayed across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield in a variety of places, including GP surgeries, health centres, colleges and libraries.

The poster explains that the stigma surrounding people with mental health problems has a profound and damaging effect and makes it harder for people to admit they have a mental health problem, preventing them from getting the support they need. It also means that people with mental health problems are often treated with unwarranted fear and distrust.

Speaking about the poster, Trust Chairman, Sukhdev Sharma, said, ‘1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem and so many of us, our friends, colleagues and families may need to use mental health services in our lifetimes.

‘Mental health is just like physical health, it can be good or bad, lead to problems that last for a few weeks or months or ones that need to be managed over a lifetime. The vast majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get appropriate help and support early on.

‘Unfortunately, stigma can stop people from being open about their mental health. This poster will hopefully make people think about just how common mental health problems are and reinforce the message that the stigma must stop.’

The campaign is particularly relevant in light of some of the facts surrounding mental health problems, which include: