Mental health visibility is a revolution for young people

Mental health visibility is at the core of all advocacy activities aiming at promoting change in the mental health field, and in the general understanding of mental health topics: we cannot achieve change without a shift in people’s mindset. Talking, sharing, and advocating for mental health is more than words – it can impact people’s lives for the better, and young people know this very well.

For International Youth Day 2024, we asked the young leaders participating in Mental Health Europe’s Youth Leadership Programme how the increased attention and visibility to mental health topics had impacted their mental health.

“The increased visibility on mental health has helped me accept my own issues and establish a social support system. In this safe space, my friends and I can face our problems together by sharing our thoughts, feelings, and lived experiences,”  says Paul, highlighting how creating a safe space is a crucial first step in supporting those close to you in sharing their emotions.

Being able to talk about mental health can also strengthen your relationship with your friends, as you all relate to a common experience, and you can practice empathy and compassion with each other. Katerina shares, “My friends and I now openly discuss about our feelings, seek professional help when needed, and support each other through tough times.”

Marina stresses how mental health visibility is not important solely within a close group of friends, but it also enhances comprehension with society at large, as  “we have increased our awareness and understanding towards the mental health problems that many people around us deal with daily.”

Young people show how mental health can help them feel proud and empowered in their own lived experience and put that energy into something that positively impacts their lives. For instance, Cinja turned their mental health experience into art, as this increased visibility “encouraged me to step on stage and perform slam poetry using my voice to challenge the stigma around mental health.” Lisa and her friends got into action with activism, sharing how talking more about mental health “helped [..]. to make our voices heard and also to fight for mental health causes.”

Alessia, a young person who has experienced mental health issues since a very young age, could witness the concrete change that mental health awareness brought to her life: “I started having mental health issues when I was very young, and at the time, it was a huge taboo to talk about it. That’s why this increased attention and awareness on the matter make me finally free to live my truth and enable me to tell my story also to help others.”

Society is changing, and Lea can already see how “more and more people are encouraged to seek and support one another.” Ole is also positive about the long-due changes he’s witnessing among those close to him and society at large. He says: “This change has given me hope that society is finally starting to take the topic of mental health more seriously.”

We are proud and confident that our young leaders have the skills and motivation to bring about a positive change in mental health awareness. It’s our duty to support the new generations in creating a more equitable and compassionate society, where mental health is a priority for all.

“Mental health awareness isn’t a trend. It’s a revolution,” says Maren, and we couldn’t have said it better!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mental Health Europe (@mentalhealtheurope)