Posted: Wednesday 2 February 2011
A new top trend has hit social networking site Twitter today, on the day the government launched its new mental health strategy No Health Without Mental Health.
Actress Rebecca Front, known for her roles in ‘I’m Alan Partridge’ and ‘The Thick of it’, admitted she has experienced panic attacks earlier today in a bid to destigmatise mental illness using the hashtag #whatstigma.
This has unleashed responses from thousands of people openly disclosing their own experiences of mental illness, a subject that has is for far too long been a taboo. Well known names have also joined this top trending movement including Alastair Campbell, Caitlin Moran, Sue Perkins and Stephanie Merritt.
Celebrity tweets include:
Hey well known Twitterers. Fancy taking the stigma out of mental illness? I'll start: I'm Rebecca Front & I've had panic attacks.#whatstigma
And no, we don't only want famous people. But it helps to raise awareness if there are some. #whatstigma
I'm liking @RebeccaFront's #whatstigma? campaign about mental illness. I'll confess: I've had panic attacks so bad, I fell off a bus.
campbellclaret (Alastair Campbell)
#whatstigma great hashtag, cos points out that some people don't see the stigma, but is also encouraging openness among so many people
Meanwhile thousands of individuals have been using Twitter to give honest accounts of their own experiences, showing just how common mental problems are:
See that 1 person on your timeline who tweeted #whatstigma? There's at least another 5 ppl on there who secretly feel the same. #whatstigma
I love twitter, I love #whatstigma, I love everyone using it to show people with #mentalhealth difficulties are just that - people.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I don't suffer from it, I have it. #whatstigma
I have always had pretty severe depression, and am starting therapy. I'm still terrified to write this. #whatstigma
Easy to forget how common mental illness is until you search for #whatstigma and see "300 tweets since you started searching" after 20 secs.
Sue Baker, Director of anti-stigma campaign Time to Change, comments:
"This just shows how many people are affected by a mental health problem. It is fantastic that Rebecca Front’s leadership and the viral power of Twitter has helped encourage thousands more people to talk openly about this issue.
Time to Change has already started to see a big movement of people with mental health problems who are actively involved in addressing stigma and discrimination and that movement has been given a further boost today."
The government earlier today committed to addressing stigma and discrimination and recognises the role of a major and sustained social movement in order to tackle the stigma and discrimination of mental health.
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