LYNN — Lynn Public Health is hosting a portable version of McLean Hospital’s “Deconstructing Stigma” mental health awareness campaign for the month of August at City Hall.
Deconstructing Stigma aims to educate communities about mental health issues and reduce the stigma associated with it by encouraging compassion and understanding. It uses clear storytelling by portraying individual, personal stories of Massachusetts residents in a visual display.
Founder Scott J O’Brien explained why he thinks the campaign’s engaging presentation style has contributed to its success.
“Saying, ‘Let’s talk about depression’ doesn’t sound very exciting, but when people see a big, bold photo, people walk up to it and are curious. People are excited about it, it piques their interest in a way that they likely wouldn’t be if we just used words,” he said.
“It’s not about just throwing facts at people. It’s really about how people feel about and perceive mental health, and encouraging people to do better for people in our communities,” O’Brien said.
“Its an effective way to introduce people who might not interact with mental health content. Our goal is to bring people into the conversation who might otherwise not be comfortable with the topic, which is a lot of us,” he added.
As for the mobile Lynn installment, O’Brien believes the campaign will resonate with the city due to the population’s cultural diversity.
“Mental health affects everyone, so we want to represent as many communities as possible through this exhibit,” he said.
The display also has an accompanying resource guide to local organizations that provide mental health support for Lynn educators, law enforcement, immigrants, veterans, and more.
“We want people from lots of different communities to have access to these resources so they can take advantage of them. It’s important that this support can be connected to the individual seeking it as much as possible,” O’Brien said.
