FIFTY-SIX PER cent of Irish people would not want others to know about their mental health problems.
While 28 per cent said they would even delay seeking professional help for fear of others finding out.
Today seen the launch of the green ribbon campaign which promotes open discussion of mental health.
Hundreds of events will take place this May as part of the campaign to encourage a national conversation about mental health.
It’s led by 90 partner organisations, hundreds of volunteers and 50 campaign ambassadors with real-life experience of mental health problems ready to share their own stories to help others and end stigma.
Figures
According to the World Health Organisation 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem.
That’s enough to fill Croke Park 14 times over and more than the combined population of Cork, Clare, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
John Saunders is director of See Change. He said:
You don’t have to be an expert to start talking about mental health and wearing the Green Ribbon is a simple way of standing up to the silence that breeds stigma.
It’s inspiring to see more than 50 ambassadors coming forward to openly talk about their own experiences of mental health problems to show than anyone can go through a tough time and recovery is possible.”
300,000 green ribbons will be given out for free at Irish Rail stations, Citizens Information centres and MABS offices nationwide during May.
For more information go to www.greenribbon.ie, download the supporters pack here.
Add the Green Ribbon to your Facebook profile picture and Tweet using #GreenRibbonIRL and #TimetoTalk
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