Being avoided, ignored, talked about, laughed at or bullied because of a mental health problem…that’s stigma.
If you have personal experience of stigma or discrimination because of mental health problems then, we’d like to hear from you. It’s completely up to you how much you share, and in how much detail.
We might want to put part of your story on this website, but we’ll always ask your permission before we do this. We’ll only use your first name, so your story cannot be traced back to you (and it's fine for you to give a false name if you prefer). Unfortunately, because we receive so many, we’re not able to use all the contributions that we are sent.
Another way you can share your story is by becoming a media volunteer. Media volunteers are people who put themselves forward to be interviewed by journalists about their personal experiences of mental ill-health, and the stigma and discrimination that surrounds it. They receive media training and ongoing support so that they can do this.
Media volunteers give interviews to raise awareness and promote greater understanding of mental health issues.
Our media volunteer pool is made up of about 40 volunteers from all over Scotland. They are male and female, come from a range of different backgrounds and have a wide variety of symptoms and experiences.
Click here to tell us your experience.