Mental illness is common.
More than 40% will experience a mental health issue in their life. Around 9% of people will have suicidal ideation this year.
But mental illness is still stigmatised and poorly understood by society. Almost 45% of people say they would find a mentally ill person “scary”.
Inappropriate and harmful representations on our screens and in stories increase prejudice and discrimination against our vulnerable communities.
Conversely, accurate and sympathetic portrayals increase awareness and promote help-seeking behaviour.