Cork goes green for mental health

A campaign dedicated to ending the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health has been launched in Cork.

The Green Ribbon Campaign, run by Shine project See Change, is a month-long initiative aimed at creating awareness and challenging the myths and misconceptions around mental health.

The campaign’s Munster launch took place on Tuesday at Cork County Hall where speakers included the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn, and a number of See Change mental health ambassadors.

Throughout September, the Green Ribbon Campaign will feature events, social media campaigns, and support for workplaces, organisations, and people across Ireland to start having open conversations about mental health.

The campaign uses the symbol of a green ribbon to represent hope and solidarity for those affected by mental health challenges.

The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Judgement’.

Speaking at the launch, Shine CEO Nicola Byrne said: “People with mental illness can be unfairly judged or labelled based on their experiences which can lead to discrimination, isolation, and exclusion. This judgement can come from lack of understanding, fear, or societal misconceptions about mental illness.”

She added: “By prompting a national conversation about mental health and by encouraging people to educate themselves about mental illnesses, we hope to eradicate the stigma that many people living with a mental health difficulty experience today.”

The campaign invites everyone to wear a green ribbon throughout September, signalling an open and embracing attitude towards discussing mental health.

People can pick up a free green ribbon at participating Boots Pharmacies, AIB Bank branches, Iarnród Éireann stations, and Eir stores, or by contacting See Change.

To mark the campaign, a number of iconic Cork buildings will be illuminated with green lights including Cork County Hall and the Clayton Hotel.

Recent research conducted by Shine around the language used to discuss mental health and mental illness revealed that “mental illness” is the preferred descriptor among individuals with lived experience, promoting equity with the term “physical illness”.

Shine believes a shift in language will challenge the damaging perception that individuals with mental illness are different and will facilitate empathy and understanding.

Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD, said: “Despite the great strides made in recent years to change attitudes and approaches to mental health, unfair judgement or labelling is still an all-too-common experience for people living with mental health difficulties, and one that can induce feelings of loneliness, alienation, and inferiority.

“We need to encourage a culture where people are not judged or labelled because of their mental health difficulties.

“We need to encourage a culture where people do not hesitate to seek help, where we have in place an early intervention mechanism of delivering that help, and we need to promote, at every opportunity, the concepts of positive mental health and of recovery.”