‘Groundbreaking’ films released to encourage a national conversation on mental health
‘Attitudes to mental health at a tipping point’ says The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have released ten films as part of the Heads Together campaign. The films feature people from all walks of life talking – often with the person that they first opened up to – about the life changing conversation that helped them cope with their mental health problems - from anxiety, alcoholism and depression through to loneliness, trauma and bereavement.
Heads Together unites the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, along with Mind, and seven other mental health charities, to change the way we talk about our mental health.
The first series of films, published on the Heads Together YouTube page and website, includes: Mind Ambassadors Ruby Wax and Alastair Campbell talking with their partners; Mind supporter and cricketer Freddie Flintoff alongside musician Stephen Manderson (Professor Green); two paramedics based in Blackpool who support Mind’s Blue Light Programme. The directors who have given their time to help create and support the films include Stephen Frears, Hugh O’Connor, John Madden, John Crowley, Paul Katis, and Sam Blair.
Facebook, Twitter and Google have ‘got their Heads Together’ to ensure that people within their online communities will see the films and be inspired to have a conversation about their own mental health.
Alongside the films, Heads Together published some new figures showing how people in Britain talk about their mental health. The research shows that almost half of us (46%) have talked recently about mental health, with a quarter of us talking about our own mental health. Eight out of ten people who have talked about their own mental health found these conversations helpful. Men are less likely to talk than women and people aged 18-24 are almost twice as likely to discuss mental health than those over 65. Also, fewer than one in five people who have had a conversation have talked to their GP and fewer than one in ten spoke either to a supervisor at work or a counsellor.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry said:
"Since we launched Heads Together last May, we have seen time and time again that shattering stigma on mental health starts with simple conversations. When you realise that mental health problems affect your friends, neighbours, children and spouses, the walls of judgement and prejudice around these issues begin to fall. And we all know that you cannot resolve a mental health issue by staying silent.
"Attitudes to mental health are at a tipping point. We hope these films show people how simple conversations can change the direction of an entire life. Please share them with your friends and families and join us in a national conversation on mental health in the weeks ahead."
Paul Farmer CBE, Chief Executive of Mind said:
“As a nation we need to stop shying away from talking about mental health and break the silence and stigma that can be so damaging to those of us living with mental health problems. You don’t need to be an expert to start a conversation and there are no hard and fast rules for what to say. It needn’t be daunting to have a conversation, just be kind, compassionate, listen and don’t judge.
“It’s fantastic to see so many people supporting Heads Together and role modelling their own conversations about mental health. We hope it will inspire thousands of others to follow in their footsteps.”
