Kate, William and Harry release series of films for Heads Together mental health campaign
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have released a series of hard-hitting films as part of their mental health campaign, Heads Together.
Hoping to open up the conversation surrounding mental health, the ten videos feature both famous and non-famous people talking to the person they first opened up to. Issues including depression, anorexia and post-traumatic stress disorder are all mentioned.
Above, model Adwoa Aboah talks to her mother Camilla Lowther about her struggles with depression. “I couldn’t believe that it was simple to talk. I literally thought it was going to be something so complicated,” she says.
Stephen Manderson (aka Professor Green), Freddie Flintoff and Ruby Wax also appear to discuss their particular mental health problems. Along with well-known faces, several members of the public – including war veterans, journalists and new mums – were also asked to take part.
“Since we launched Heads Together last May, we have seen time and time again that shattering stigma on mental health starts with simple conversations. When you realise that mental health problems affect your friends, neighbours, children and spouses, the walls of judgement and prejudice around these issues begin to fall,” Kate, William and Harry said in a statement. “We hope these films show people how simple conversations can change the direction of an entire life.”
The royal trio’s Heads Together campaign brings together eight charities that raise awareness of mental health issues in men, women and children.
“We know that half of all mental health conditions start before the age of 14, but young people often find it hard to talk when they’re struggling to cope,” said Tom Madders, Director of Communications at one of the featured charities, YoungMinds.
Children’s health professor Stephen Scott agrees that young people need to be encouraged to speak up: “I work with disturbed adolescents and it is incredible how powerful a major figure ‘coming out’ by talking about a mental health problem can be.”
“Mental health problems can carry huge stigma, and sufferers can feel shame, bad inside, and wounded for life. Whereas when they see an iconic role model admitting to difficulties, it helps them feel much more normal about themselves, and able to see their way to a positive future.”
In a poll of over 5000 British adults, YouGov found that 46% of the public have had a conversation about mental health over the past three months. Heads Together aims to increase that to millions more conversations.
The full series can be viewed here.
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