People asked to fight mental health stigma

People living in Renfrewshire with mental illness are facing stigma in their closest relationships, often from family and friends.

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According to the Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study by See Me and the Mental Health Foundation, 92 per cent of respondents reported experiencing stigma and discrimination from people close to them in the past year.

See Me, a national programme working to end mental health stigma and discrimination, is calling on Renfrewshire residents to challenge these attitudes.

Tommy Kelly, a volunteer with See Me, has shared how he is still faced with judgement from family when he publicly discusses details of his mental health journey.

He said: "They believed that I was trying to get attention from my dad because I had just lost my mum.