Is Mental Health Week effective?

Hi @NikNik and @utopia,

I know what you are saying, @NikNik- I have a similar experience; I wonder if I am only noticing all the stuff regarding Metal Health Week because I, myself, have a mental illness?

I wonder if the average person notices it? Life can be so busy... I think people have to screen out all the things that they don't immediately relate to. You know, I doubt I am a typical person because I really do have a lot of time on my hands, so I have the luxury of noticing whatever I come across, be it in the media, in the street, in my back-yard...

In our tiny little town they are having a few functions for Mental Health Week. Yesterday, people were asked to wear a hat all day in recognition of mental illness. Today there is a free BBQ outside one of the supermarkets.... I don't even think you have to be bonkers to go along! Then there is a kind of Dog Show thing as a fundraiser. These events were advertised in the local newspaper and on social media.

But I am thinking of people like my sister who works full time and has two children... I doubt she would even give Meltal Health Week one little thought because her days are already packed full of stuff.

A misconception about MI? I think the main one for me would be that if someone is seriously mentally ill, then you would be able to tell just by looking at them. That they would be unkept, unemployed, ranting, smelly and weird. This is so not true!

The person with MI could be your lawyer, your doctor, your accountant or your hairdresser and you would not even know. They may look good, act normally and even smile and be friendly and yet they could be suffering.

Hi @NikNik

This coming week is an important week. But I am still not sure if people are aware of Mental Health Week.

To me I feel it gets 'hushed hushed' a bit. Maybe what @utopia suggested that more of the main TV and radio stations advertise MH week would be a good idea and even the regional areas.

And I agree also with @utopia in that I feel people think that I should just 'get over it' and 'just forget your parents' - easier said than done.

Also BPD - I just feel that this name needs to change.

I think we are beginning to get into 'awareness fatigue' The list is pretty long. I'm not sure how you get cut through without a huge media budget. I don't really have an answer here but if you're not in it then you can't do anything about the problem. One possibility is to better leverage technology. What does SANE think about doing more video content?

I'll be wearing a pin for the day this year. I'm not sure if I'll say anything if anyone asks, maybe I'll just talk about how I've helped friends that have had problems.

As for the second question I think I've expressed my views pretty clearly over the last couple of weeks.

@NikNik, @utopia, @BlueBay, @mrkotter -

I just wanted to share with everyone; there are two interesting shows on ABC T.V. tonight to do with mental health. The first one is on around 8.30 pm and it's Steven Fry talking about his Bipolar. The second one follows on at around 9.30 and it's about the science behind helping people with MI. Looks really interesting to me. I am going to make time to watch!

If anyone else would like to watch too, maybe we can write some posts on Sane forums at the same time?

im feeling a bit flat.. maybe a bit cynnical as well. the abc does a good job of reaching those that already seek new information.. want to learn, etc. but im not sure it reaches the 'average' person... Though im not sure what/how to reach the rest. If i liken it to programs that i've run/seen run in schools/communities over the last 12 years about helping kids/maybe homework informations sessions/circle of security workshops/parent information nights... its generally those parents that we already see, and are working hard to be the best parents at those sessions... the ones we worry about, the children who are struggling don't often come. i think understanding mi is only important to people when it affects them immediately. the knowledge that people have seems to come from bad news stories, movies/tv where things are not exactly presented accurately or fairly perhaps. but i dont have any answers.

lj