Hansard

I thank Jackie Baillie for securing the debate, which has been extremely important. There have been some very good speeches, and like other members I single out Anne McLaughlin’s speech, which was particularly powerful and, as Hugh Henry said, particularly human in its content.

I agree absolutely that the see me campaign has made a huge contribution to tackling the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental ill health. It is unique in Scotland, but we should also recognise that it was the first campaign of its kind anywhere in the world.

The statistic is often quoted—and was quoted by several members—that one person in four will experience mental health problems. It is a powerful statistic, but what lies behind it is even more powerful. It adds up to an awful lot of people who need others—their family, friends, colleagues, health professionals and people in the community—to support them and show understanding of the issues that they face, not judge them on preconceived notions of mental ill health. The see me campaign’s role is to help people develop that understanding and acceptance, not by preaching to them or nagging them to change their ways but by educating and gradually influencing a culture change.

In many ways, stigma can be more distressing than the symptoms of mental ill health themselves. Others have mentioned the valuable research that see me carried out, which goes a long way to helping us to understand people’s experience of stigma and discrimination. The research tells us that 85 per cent of people feel more able to be open about their experiences of mental illness than in the past, but it also tells us that they are still likely to face stigma when they disclose it. People are most likely to experience stigma and discrimination with friends and family, in the local communities, at work and when accessing health services—I agree with the point that Mary Scanlon made about the need for compassion and understanding in the health service. In other words, people are more likely to experience stigma in the areas of life in which they most need support.

The research also shows that, when it comes to stigma, not all mental illnesses are equal. Illnesses that are perceived as less common, more severe and more difficult to understand—such as personality disorder or schizophrenia—are even more stigmatised than the less threatening illnesses, such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. In addition, it exposes the extent of self-stigma, to which Anne McLaughlin alluded. The fear of experiencing stigma colours the way that people with mental health problems see themselves and often leads them to self-impose restrictions on their activity that, in effect, prevent them from living their lives to the full.

The see me campaign’s work to build up relationships with the media has been mentioned. Over the years, it has built up very good relationships and done a great deal to educate and influence the media about the use of positive reporting and appropriate language.

Jackie Baillie made the point that the campaign has been built on the premise that it takes a generation to effect real and lasting change in attitudes. Its first priority has been to raise awareness of the existence and impact of stigma and discrimination. Only once that awareness is lodged in the public consciousness can the campaign move through the phases of demystification, informing, creating understanding, enabling acceptance, inclusion and networking, finally reaching the ideal state of a stigmaless equality for people who experience mental health problems.

In addition to its high-profile national work, see me is aware of the need to sustain local activity. Its local work throughout the country has been taking root recently. That work brings together supporters, activists and groups through regional meetings, which have been popular, with the aim of encouraging collaborative action.