Inspire has opened phase two of the If It’s Okay campaign, which aims to tackle stigma around mental illness in Northern Ireland.
If It’s Okay is a joint initiative of the UK Anti-Stigma Alliance. It is being led in Scotland by See Me and in Wales by Time to Change Wales. All three partners are encouraging members of the public in their respective regions to play a role in helping to end the shame often experienced by people living with mental ill health.
“It’s okay not to be okay” is a familiar phrase in mental health campaigning. It is credited with giving people the courage to be more open about their mental health. However, for many with experience of more complex conditions, the mantra does not always ring true.
Created in partnership with charity volunteers and champions from across Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales, If It’s Okay draws on real experiences to emphasise the consequences of negative language and behaviours.
Shame can lead people to hide mental ill health, even from family members and close friends, stopping them from seeking the help and support that they need. They are then left feeling alone and avoiding opportunities their peers may take for granted.
Last year, in order to support the campaign, Censuswide polled 504 adults in Northern Ireland. A significant majority (64%) of respondents with experience of mental ill health said that they had felt shame because of it.
Just over half (53%) agreed that mental illness is negatively portrayed in the media and a similar portion of the population (54%) believes that there is still a great deal or fair amount of shame associated with the subject. Additionally, seven in 10 (70%) feel that society should be more sensitive when talking about mental health.
The findings highlighted concerning opinions too. A quarter (26%) of those canvassed consider “Totally OCD” an acceptable everyday term; 27% expressed the same view about the word “Crazy”. “Nuts” (24%) and “A bit mental” (21%) followed closely behind. Meanwhile, 37% would not want to leave their children in the care of someone living with a mental health condition.
The campaign first got underway in 2024. Following this, a survey of 209 people across the UK showed that it had shaped their own attitudes in a positive way, with 88% saying that the campaign helped them think about how stigma and shame affect others.
The Anti-Stigma Alliance is calling on everyone in society to think about their words and actions when talking about mental ill health. People with lived experience are also being encouraged to share their views and insights. In doing so, they can highlight the real human impact of shame.
Kerry Anthony MBE, CEO of Inspire, said:
“The term ‘It’s ok not to be ok’ plays a really important role in creating a supportive environment for talking about mental ill health. We don’t want it to become a cliché. With this campaign, we are asking people to think about the meaning behind the phrase and put those words into action by playing your part in ending the stigma around mental illness.”
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