It's no secret that mental health awareness has become a recurring topic in UK news headlines. We as a society are learning that so many of those in our immediate community suffer from mental illness at some point in their life for various periods of time.
The World Health Organisation, in 2001, reported that mental illness affects one in four, 14 years on where are we now? Many reports and stories, from around the world are claiming that one in four are still affected and more needs to be done to help those suffering.
The World Health Organisation, in 2001, reported that mental illness affects one in four, 14 years on where are we now? Many reports and stories, from around the world are claiming that one in four are still affected and more needs to be done to help those suffering.
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| Photo credit: Rights - © 2011 Andrew Ostrovsky under CC license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ |
With Twitters increasing popularity around the world is it a case that Twitter is providing us with a global community platform to create a buzz to help change? Does it help to improve awareness about mental health and how countries and society's can help those who suffer?
As a sufferer of depression and anxiety myself, you can read more about my story here, the community of support that Twitter provided proved very helpful in my journey to recovery. It also is the case for many others.
A variety of Hashtags are being used allowing people to reach out to others, it eradicates the feeling of being and suffering alone. Mind created a top 10 Mental Health Twitter hashtag list earlier this year, sourcing some of the most popular and beneficial hashtag's for users to get involved with.
One popular mental health hashtag of 2015 that didn't make it on to Mind's top 10 list was a city specific Hashtag from @ManchesterMind, #TalkTwitter. This was a live tweeting event which, took place in February this year. You can see the Live Tweet round up in this great storify post.
Perhaps it is the lack of face-to-face communication that Twitter provides that helps people to get involved with such a sensitive subject. For those using Twitter to discuss and cope with their mental health illnesses, it allows people to stay in their comfort zone and still get involved. A lack of anxious situations and being able to process other people's responses at your own pace makes the difficult topics of depression, anxiety and other disorders a little easier to talk about.
Twitter as a public platform is also an amazing way to get your voice heard. It allows those who feel they cannot speak up in a public situation, to air their thoughts, feelings and experiences. There is most definitely something to be said about Twitter being a successful platform for changing the main stream doom and gloom reporting about mental health. It gives us the ability to share real and personal accounts and removes mental health from being placed on a scary and 'hopeless' platform that many mainstream media reports do.
It is the bravery and courage of those who suffer and are willing to share their feelings and emotions that will help to change the conversation.
I'd love to know about your experience with Twitter and Mental Health. Has it been a helpful and useful outlet for you? Do you feel empowered by the communities of people you can reach out to? Please leave your comments and get involved.
