First ever Scottish mental health stigma survey launched by Glasgow Caledonian University, See Me Scotland and the Mental Health Foundation
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
PEOPLE living with mental illness in Moray are being encouraged by leading organisations to take part in a new research survey to show how stigma impacts people in Scotland.
The study is being carried out anonymously by Glasgow Caledonian University, in partnership with mental health charities See Me Scotland and the Mental Health Foundation hopes to find out more about the real-life experiences of adults in Scotland who are living with mental illness.
While it is already known that people living with these conditions experience discrimination, the research will explore how and where people face stigma, the impact that this has and what needs to be done to make the lives of people mental health conditions better.
See Me volunteer, Tommy Kelly, started to struggle with an eating disorder in 1997 following the death of his mother. He said the stigma around eating disorders, especially as a man, made it more difficult to seek help.
Tommy said: “I was really scared about speaking about my mental health at first because of what others would think. Someone once called me a drug addict in the street because I was so skinny. People don’t think it’s an illness, they think it is a choice.
“A lot of people would say to me that men don’t suffer from eating disorders, it was a female illness. So, I was scared to speak about it as I didn’t think I would be accepted by society. In actuality, 25% of people presenting with an eating disorder are male. This figure is likely higher, as many men don’t come forward for help, due to stigma."
The survey closes on Friday February 18 and is open to people who has experienced one or more mental health conditions. The views and experiences people share in the survey will be used to make recommendations for positive changes that help reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental illness.
Jo Finlay, Senior Research Manager at Mental Health Foundation said: “We encourage anyone who lives with, or has previously lived with, complex mental health conditions to take part in this research. With their support and contribution, we have the chance to produce a definitive picture of the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with mental illness, and the impact it can have. This is important as it will provide a strong evidence-base for campaigns to make the changes that will improve the lives of thousands of people in Scotland.”
