Today, the Department of Health and Social Care is launching a new social media campaign in partnership with the Lancet and the Young Leaders for the Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health.
The campaign aims to increase awareness around mental health issues ahead of the first annual Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit on 9 and 10 October, where it’s hoped that ministers and policymakers will take the opportunity to make a lasting difference to mental health.
There’s a long way to go before mental health issues are given the recognition and understanding they deserve, but the campaign and summit are a step in the right direction. Beat says:
“Eating disorders are serious mental illness that cause immense distress to sufferers and their families, and we support ministers’ efforts to raise the profile of mental health and challenge stigma at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit.
“We know that the sooner someone gets specialist treatment for an eating disorder, the better their chances of recovery. Yet on average, it takes nearly three years for someone to realise they have an eating disorder and visit a GP. When they do seek help, they often face long delays in getting a referral, or are referred to services that are not equipped to deal with them.
“We therefore call on ministers to take steps ensuring that people can spot the signs of an eating disorder and seek help, and that services are equipped to provide treatment, fast.”
Today at 2pm, you can join the call for better understanding of and support for mental health issues by taking part in the thunderclap on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and making your voice heard on the issues that matter to you. Ask your nation’s health minister if they’ll be attending the #GlobalMHSummit, and let people know what you think #theworldneeds when it comes to mental health.