Frank Bruno and Alastair Campbell appear alongside comedienne Rebecca Front, EastEnders actor Derek Martin and everyday people with mental health problems and their friends and family in a new short film from England’s leading mental health anti-discrimination programme Time to Change.
The four-minute film, called Talking for Change, is part of the new campaign ‘It’s time to talk, it’s Time to Change’, which addresses the reluctance many of us feel in talking about mental health problems and encourages people both with and without mental illnesses to start conversations about mental health.
Alastair Campbell, who experiences depression, said he believes mental illnesses to be one of the last great taboos and he appeared in the film to help end the silence and stigma around mental health.
"People feel more open and feel they can talk about physical illnesses, but once you get into the mental illness arena people feel much more buttoned up, and I think that reinforces the taboo, reinforces the stigma, and it’s got to be broken down," he said.
Comedienne Rebecca Front, who has anxiety, commented: "I think it’s really important to take the stigma out of mental health and start talking about it, because the more you hide it and the more you bury it deep inside you, the more you start to believe that it’s just you - and it isn’t just you. There are a lot of people out there with mental health issues; it’s normal and just a part of life."
Derek Martin, who plays taxi driver Charlie Slater on EastEnders and appears in the film with his son David, who has depression, agreed saying: "The more you talk about mental health, the more you learn and the more it brings it out.
"It’s a relief, like a safety valve. And the more that you communicate about it with people, whether they be strangers or friends, you suddenly realise you’re not on your own."
Time to Change director Sue Baker said: "The film clearly shows how common mental illnesses are, how they affect people from all walks of life, and how being able to open up and talk about mental health is important both for people with mental health problems and those around them.
"Silence around mental health is a big cause of stigma and discrimination and, for people with mental illnesses, often the hardest part of having a mental health problem."
Talking for Change has been posted online on the Time to Change website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. Individual short films of the interviews will also be posted online throughout the campaign, which ends on 17th April.
To see Talking for Change, please click here. For more information about the campaign and to start your conversation about mental health visit www.facebook.com/timetochange or www.time-to-change.org.uk
Top 10 Tips For Starting Your Conversation About Mental Health
You don’t need to be an expert on mental health to be a friend. It’s often the everyday things that make a difference. Here are our Top 10 Tips to get the conversation started:
- Take the lead: If you know someone has been unwell, don’t be afraid to ask how they are.
- Avoid clichés: Phrases like ‘Cheer up’, ‘I’m sure it’ll pass,’ and ‘Pull yourself together’ won’t help the conversation! Being open minded, non-judgemental and listening will.
- Ask how you can help: People will want support at different times in different ways, so ask how you can help.
- Don’t avoid the issue: If someone comes to you to talk, don’t brush it off because this can be a hard step to take. Acknowledge their illness and let them know that you’re there for them.
- Stay in touch: Actions are important too so stay in touch with a text, email or postcard and let someone know you are thinking about them.
- Be prepared: Think about the different reactions, positive and negative, that the person might have so you’re prepared.
- Choose a good time: Choose a time and place where you feel comfortable and ready to talk.
- Be ready for lots of questions...or none: The person you are talking to might have lots of questions. Or they might feel uncomfortable and try to move the conversation on - if this happens it’s still helpful that the first step has been taken.
- Have some information ready: Sometimes it’s easier for people to find out more in their own time - so it might be useful to have some information to hand.
- Take up opportunities to talk: If someone asks you about your mental health, don’t shy away, be yourself and answer honestly.
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