A TEENAGER revealed the details of her mental health illness for the first time at the launch of a campaign in Chippenham tackling stigmatisation.
Kieran Mulvaney, a member of the UK Youth Parliament, set up the Let’s Think About It campaign last year to tackle a failure to understand mental health, after his friend was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
A group of 15 to 17-year-olds, with the help of a group called FIXERS, made a short film starring actors from Hardenhuish School, highlighting how difficult it is for young people with mental health issues to seek help.
On Friday they played the video for about 40 staff, pupils and councillors at the Chippenham school.
Keynote speaker Dr Pooky Knightsmith, who writes a blog at eatingdisordersadvice.co.uk, also took part in the interactive session.
Kieran, 17, said: “The main character of the video disclosed for the first time what she was suffering from, so that added even more impact to the launch.”
James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, said he was moved by her courage. He said: “The initiative was terrific. Top marks for their professional presentation, there was a lot of thought behind it.
“It was also very moving to see one of the women speak out about bulimia and self-harm. This is an illness, like a broken leg, and it needs to be dealt with and recognised as such.”
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