If our generation are to change how we view and approach mental health, then we need to take our own initiative in doing so.
My name is Cathal Murphy. Along with two close friends of mine – Edvinas Maciulevicius and Billy Twohig – we are currently creating a documentary about the mental health of Irish youth. Mental health difficulties are something we can all relate to, be it through our own experiences, or those of a close friend or family member. However, in Ireland in particular it seems mental health is rarely, and certainly not often enough, discussed among our age group – and in the cases that it is, it’s often too late.
There is still a certain stigma attached to mental health that makes telling someone “I’m not feeling okay” such a terrifying, difficult task – and that is not okay in itself. On our journey so far we have met many inspiring and knowledgeable people that have worked in the field of mental health for years. Through meeting these people, there is one line that really resonated in our minds, and that is – mental health is something that we all have, whether it’s good or bad at this moment in time.
As we enter early adulthood it seems as though more and more cases of depression are arising among our age group. Depression should not be killing us. Nobody should feel alone in this, simply because nobody is alone in this. It is time that we, the youth of Ireland knock down what is left of this wall.
This documentary will delve into the mental health of our youth by focusing on their personal stories. It will explore these young people’s adventures in mental health, including the struggles they faced with their mental health on a day-to-day basis, and ultimately how they overcame and are still learning to cope with those challenges. These people are sharing their stories in the hope that they can inspire those who might find themselves in similar situations, be it anxiety or depression, to talk to someone, in light of it being the first step they make to better times.
Perhaps some viewers might never be able to imagine experiencing some of the situations described in the documentary, and that’s okay too. However, it can give them a better insight into the lives of those who are in these situations, and inspire them to become a listening ear and support those who might simply need to talk. To many, mental health is still a mysterious concept and we want to make it as clear and understandable as we possibly can.
Hence, we want to target the “five out of five”, not just the “one in five”. A revolution of how we approach mental health is currently underway in Ireland, which is great, and exciting. With public figures such as Bressie as well as young people coming out sharing their struggles with mental health and advocating the importance of opening up, our nation is gradually diminishing the stigma surrounding the topic.
With organisations and helplines emerging in schools, colleges, clubs and elsewhere, support is out there. We are beginning to recognise mental ill health as a genuine health problem, however we are still failing to treat it as one. As Bressie stated to us himself, if our generation are to change how we view and approach mental health, then we need to take our own initiative in doing so, and we need to do it in a powerful and inspiring way. Hence, we are making a documentary for our generation, by our generation.
The reason we have made the above promotional video is to generate an excitement for what’s about to come and allow people to follow our progress along the way through Facebook and Twitter! So far on this journey, we have met some amazing people that have worked in this field for a long time. We’ve learned and continue to learn so much from them. We hope that with the right publicity this promotional video will allow us to meet more inspiring figures and create a film that can really make a change.
Here is the link to the video on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=3CHtN-ZKKRY
Facebook Page: facebook.com/ourmentalhealth/
Twitter: twitter.com/OMHeatlh_
Support Our Campaign
We rely on the generosity of the public to fund our work and so far together we have achieved great things! Please do continue to support us so we can provide future generations in Ireland with the resources to recognise and talk about their emotions, and equip them to navigate the ever-changing world around them as they grow
