Scotland's "See Me" Campaign Launches Today

"See Me," a high-profile advertising campaign showing people how to help friends and family with depression and other mental health problems is being launched in Scotland today. It will include TV commercials, radio commercials, billboards and bus shelter posters.

The drive was triggered after research found that despite changing attitudes towards mental illness, people often had no idea how to support sufferers. Suzie Vestri, acting campaign director for "See Me" said: "It's not that Scots are fair-weather friends, they just don't know how to put their good intentions into action."

"Most people want to do the right thing by a friend or relative with mental illness, but fear of saying the wrong thing and making the situation worse holds them back."

The advertising strategy, which will include commercials during the very popular "Coronation Street," is designed to reassure people they do not need expertise to provide support. The slogan reads: Be there. Be yourself.

Ms Vestri said: "We went out and asked members of the public what would prevent them being supportive and got some very honest answers.

"They said things like: Well, I just do not know enough.' They were very worried they might make things worse and then would end up feeling responsible or they thought perhaps the person with the problem didn't want anyone to know about it.

"It was a case of the great British answer to everything of when in doubt, do not talk about it."
She compared the situation to bereavement, where people are so worried about upsetting the person grieving they say nothing.

"Actually that makes things worse," she said. "It makes people feel hurt and rejected. So often people stop going round or stop asking you out just when you most need it."

Support from friends and family is often seen as the biggest influence on patients who recover from mental health problems, according to "See Me."

The "See Me" commercials are available for viewing on their website here. One thing that makes the commercials especially powerful is that they show people who've recovered from depression. There are no sad faces. They send the message that with help from their friends people get over depression every day.


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