We will be launching a series of five short films, starting from the Scottish Mental Health Week. Each of these films explores a different theme and its relationship with mental health. The first one of these is now live - Keep an eye on our homepage to see when the others will be!
The films are:
Mental health and physical activity
This film combines a visual story with voice-overs to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity to mental health in general, and as part of people's recovery from mental ill-health. It explores the range of activities that are in reach of most people, whether urban or rural and whatever generation/physical ability level.
Mental health and creativity
There are many people who acknowledge that being creative (in all sorts of ways) is good for their mental well-being. This can include singers/song-writers/artists/photographers/craftspeople (from pottery to knitting) /people involved in drama, creative-writing, and gardening. Creativity also contributes to recovery from mental illness and can provide an outlet for people to explore and describe what is happening to them. This film explores all of this.
Mental health and the workplace/employment
This film has three parts to it, in a case-study style, each exploring the issue from a different aspect. The first part is a dramatised scenario of how a person's mental health can deteriorate if mental health issues are not talked about at work. The second part is an interview with a person who have experience of being supported through a period of mental ill-health while in employment. And the final part explores mental health at work from an employer's perspective.
Mental health and support from friends and family
Support and connectedness with others – in general – is good for your mental health and wellbeing. In addition, after appropriate medical treatment, support from friends and family is the biggest help in recovery from mental ill-health. However, in a recent ‘see me’ survey, 47% of people with lived-experience of mental ill-health said that they had experienced stigma and discrimination from their friends and family. Often it is not anyone's intention to stigmatise or discriminate: Many people just don’t know what to say or do when someone they know has a mental health problem. The default option is to say or do nothing – and this can feel like isolation and exclusion. This film explores these issues and aims to show that support from friends and family really does make a difference.
Mental health and sexual orientation
Research shows that people from the LGBT community experience high levels of discrimination with 68% having experienced verbal abuse or harassment , mainly on the street. Such discrimination can lead to high levels of mental ill-health, and higher than average rates of suicide. People from the LGBT community who have experience of mental ill-health have also talked about the ‘double-discrimination’ they face – because of their sexuality and because of mental ill-health. In addition, people from the LGBT community do not always get access to the healthcare services that they need – including mental health services where wrong assumptions can be made. This is area which has been under-researched and under-explored. It is hoped that this short film will speak to the general public (even though film length and time is limited) to make some key points about being LGBT, the stigma and discrimination faced, and mental health. The content and direction of this film are led/shaped by people from within the LGBT community.