A West Lothian woman is fighting to eradicate the stigma some people face when they speak out about their mental health issues.
Angela McCrimmon, who volunteers as an ambassador for mental health charity, SeeMe is speaking out as part of Mental Health Awareness Week to help people open up about their struggles.
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, which kicked off this week and runs until May 24, is ‘loneliness’ - and Angela hoped to show the importance of speaking out about mental health to help end stigma and discrimination.
Poet Angela said: ”Volunteering with SeeMe is incredibly important to me as, living with a mental illness myself, I have experienced stigma and descrimination from all around me - even from healthcare professionals.
“But SeeMe is an organisation that gives due credit to lived experience of people living with poor mental health or mental illnesses.
“I want to get people talking about mental health, I want these conversations around mental health to be as normal as talking about your physical health.
“In my opinion people heal when they are heard - and SeeMe gives struggling people a voice.”
Research done by SeeMe found that more than a quarter of Scots don’t feel comfortable speaking about their mental health.
Angela continued: “If you don’t make a proactive effort to keep up your mental health, loneliness will manifest, but you don’t have to suffer in silence - there are a lot of different support groups out there that are just a google search away.
“There’s a lot of different support available as well, which professionals should be able to signpost those struggling with their mental health to relevant community groups - but they don’t know about these things,
“Which is why it’s so important to engage with others who have lived experience, people who have experienced similar things.
“If they knew more about what was going on in community could signpost to relevant organisations.”
If you’re struggling with your mental wellbeing, mental health professionals advise reaching out to someone you trust - a friend, a family member, your GP, or a helpline like Breathing Space or Samaritans.
Wendy Halliday, director of See Me, said: “Stigma, or the fear of saying the wrong thing, can also lead to people putting off having a conversation with someone who’s struggling, leaving them feeling alone and isolated.
“If you’re worried about someone, use this week to start a conversation, and continue that.
“Talking about how you’re feeling, and sharing that load, is the first step towards getting help – and you will find that you aren’t as alone as you think you are.”
Don't miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here
