See me Review

About See me

See Me: Ending Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination in Scotland

Mental health is a crucial aspect of our overall well-being, yet it remains one of the most stigmatized and misunderstood issues in society. People who experience mental health problems often face discrimination, prejudice, and isolation, which can exacerbate their condition and prevent them from seeking help. This is where See Me comes in – a pioneering programme that aims to end mental health stigma and discrimination in Scotland.

Founded in 2002, See Me is a collaborative initiative between the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland, SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health), and other key stakeholders. Its mission is to challenge negative attitudes towards mental health by promoting understanding, empathy, and respect for people with lived experience of mental illness.

At the heart of See Me's approach is the belief that everyone has the right to live a fulfilled life free from discrimination based on their mental health status. Whether you are living with depression or anxiety or have experienced more severe conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, you deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion.

To achieve its vision of ending mental health stigma and discrimination in Scotland, See Me has developed a range of innovative programmes that target different audiences across society. These include:

1) The Workplace Programme: This programme aims to create mentally healthy workplaces where employees feel supported to talk about their mental health without fear of judgement or reprisal. It provides training for managers on how to support staff who may be experiencing difficulties with their mental health as well as resources for employees on how to look after their own wellbeing.

2) The Young People's Programme: This programme focuses on raising awareness among young people about mental health issues through school-based activities such as workshops, assemblies, drama performances etc. It also provides training for teachers on how best to support students who may be struggling with their emotional wellbeing.

3) The Communities Programme: This programme works with local communities across Scotland to promote positive attitudes towards mental health through events such as festivals, art exhibitions etc. It also provides training for community leaders on how they can support people who may be experiencing difficulties with their mental health.

4) The Media Programme: This programme engages with journalists and media professionals across Scotland to promote responsible reporting on mental health issues. It provides guidance on language use when reporting stories related to suicide or self-harm etc., which can have a significant impact on public perceptions of these issues.

Through these programmes (and others), See Me has made significant progress towards its goal of ending stigma aroundmental illnessinScotland.In2019,theorganisationreportedthatover80%ofpeoplewhohadengagedwithitsprogrammehadsaidthatitimprovedtheirunderstandingofmentalhealthissues,andover70%feltmoreconfidenttalkingaboutmentalhealthwithothers.Theseareencouragingresults,butthereisstillmuchworktobedoneifwewanttoachieveatrulystigmafreeScotland.

IfyouwanttogetinvolvedwithSeeme,youcanvisittheirwebsite(www.seemescotland.org/)orfollowthemonsocialmedia(@seemescotland).Youcandonateyourtimeormoneytosupporttheireffortsorattendoneoftheirevents.Ifyou'reanemployer,youcanalsosignuptotheirsupportersprogrammetodemonstrateyourcommitmenttomentalhealthintheworkplace.Whateverwayyouchoose,tobecomepartofthecampaign,you'llbejoiningthousandsofotherScotswhowanttomakeamentalhealthissueforallyearroundandnotjustduringMentalHealthAwarenessWeek.

Inconclusion,S eemeisaninspirationalorganisationthatdeservesthanksandrecognitionforitsworkinendingmentalhealthstigmaanddiscriminationinScotland.Theirinnovativeprogrammeshavehelpedraisepublicawarenessaboutmentalillness,reducenegativeattitudes,andpromotepositivedialoguearoundthisimportantissue.Ifweallplayourpart,wecancreateastigmafreesocietywhereeveryonefeelsvalued,respected,andabletolivefulfilledlivesregardlessoftheirmindset.Whydon'tyoubethechange?