In line with its mission to spread awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) on World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), launched a unique nationwide awareness campaign inviting survivors of mental illness to come out and share their stories. The campaign includes a teaser in which real-life survivors, whose identities are initially masked, pose relevant questions such as “I suffered from depression, should I be ashamed?” “I met a psychiatrist for my depression, should I be ashamed?” or “ I suffered from a mental illness, should I be ashamed?”. The audience is then prompted to respond with a simple NO or YES.
In the second stage, the survivors’ faces are revealed and they boldly declare that they are “Not Ashamed,” to acknowledge their experience with mental illness.
Said Deepika Padukone, Founder of TLLLF, “Through our journey and experience in the last three years it has been proven time and again that the biggest barrier preventing those suffering from mental illnesses from seeking help is the social stigma attached to it. This must change. As a society, we need to embrace the need of all those suffering from mental illness. Our campaign this year aims to ensure those who are suffering from depression or any other mental illness feel comfortable in sharing their story and ask for help. Starting today, I urge all survivors of mental illness to come out and share their experience using the #NotAshamed hashtag. We at TLLLF believe that this movement will only encourage and empower individuals suffering in silence to come out and seek help,” she added.
Besides Deepika, other real-life survivors who are part of the #NotAshamed campaign include Vivek and Malvika, who are entrepreneurs; Sandhya, who is a journalist; Anovshka, who is a digital marketer; Muzzammil, who is a tailor; Anand, who is a businessman; Tara, who is a visual artist; Rindamma, a homemaker; Malavva, who owns a shop; and Thomas, who is a retiree.
The campaign covers Print, Outdoor, Radio, Television and Digital mediums.
The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) was set up in 2015 as a Charitable Trust to champion the cause of mental health in India, with a focus on depression, stress and anxiety.
