A team of women in Melbourne’s west is tackling the stigma of mental illness.
The Mind in the Dark campaign aims to change negative perceptions of mental illness through discussion, education and raising awareness of available support services.
Mind in the Dark member Julia Browne said the group’s members met while studying community services at the Vostro Institute of Training in Maidstone and are passionate and culturally diverse western suburbs residents.
“We all felt there wasn’t a lot of attention on or understanding of mental illness,” she said.
“It affects everybody in some way – nobody is immune. We are not medical experts but we are experts in our own understanding and experience.”
Ms Browne said conversations between the women highlighted some of the additional struggles that can be faced in tackling mental health.
“We are a multicultural and very diverse group,” she said.
“In different cultures, as well as the general stigma around this there can be additional stigma and different barriers people may confront.”
The group has launched a website as a platform for opening up conversations about mental health and is campaigning to change the language around the issue.
“That will act as an anchor for our various little projects,” Ms Browne said.
One of these projects is a push for a change in terminology from ‘mental’ health or illness to ‘mind’ health or illness, given negative connotations around the term “mental” and its use as as a term of abuse.
An online petition directed to state health minister Jill Hennessy to change the term has so far attracted more than 100 signatures.
“Even if there are some people who may not agree with the name change it is creating dialogue,” Ms Browne said.
Visit: mindinthedark.org
