inTervieW - Green Cross Publishing
inTervieW - Green Cross Publishing
inTervieW - Green Cross Publishing
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30<br />
e-phaRmacy<br />
issue 10 volume 12 • novemBeR 2010<br />
juNe sHANNoN<br />
Depression – new campaign<br />
– something to sing about<br />
Mr Johnny Logan and Ms niamh kavanagh; pictured at the launch of a new campaign called Lean on Me.<br />
Despite the high<br />
prevalence of<br />
depression worldwide<br />
and the fact that an<br />
estimated 400,000<br />
people in Ireland<br />
today experience depression at any<br />
one time, the issue is still surrounded<br />
by a wall of silence and stigma.<br />
According to the WHO globally,<br />
mental health conditions account<br />
for 13 per cent of the total burden<br />
of disease, and 31 per cent of all<br />
years lived with disability. “By 2030,<br />
depression alone is likely to be the<br />
single highest contributor to burden<br />
of disease in the world – more so<br />
than heart disease, stroke, road<br />
traffic accidents, and HIV/AIDS.”<br />
“<br />
“There<br />
is strong<br />
evidence that<br />
depression can be<br />
a hidden disorder<br />
and can manifest<br />
itself in many<br />
different ways.”<br />
epidemic<br />
A major new international survey<br />
on the prevalence of depression<br />
in Europe has revealed that almost<br />
half or 48 per cent of people have<br />
experienced depression at some<br />
stage in their lives and a massive 80<br />
per cent know someone affected by<br />
the condition.<br />
However despite the huge<br />
prevalence of depression the new<br />
online survey by market research<br />
agency Ipsos MORI, carried out<br />
among 7,122 people in seven<br />
European counties including Ireland,<br />
also found that over half or 55 per<br />
cent of those who had experienced<br />
depression, did not tell their family<br />
and friends. In fact the survey found<br />
that two thirds of those surveyed<br />
or 75 per cent reported that they<br />
actually withdrew from family and<br />
friends when they were depressed.<br />
The reasons those surveyed gave<br />
for withdrawing from social and<br />
family supports when depressed<br />
included: 28 per cent saying they<br />
were “too scared, ashamed or<br />
overwhelmed”; 18 per cent thought<br />
that family and friends would not<br />
understand and would turn away<br />
from them; 57 per cent stated that<br />
they “didn’t want to burden them”<br />
with their problems and 29 per cent<br />
said that they didn’t know how to tell<br />
them.<br />
There is an estimated 400,000<br />
people in Ireland experiencing<br />
depression at any one time yet<br />
despite the huge prevalence of the<br />
disease it is clear from this Ipsos<br />
MORI survey that a significant<br />
amount of stigma still surrounds the<br />
issue.<br />
lean on Me<br />
In an effort to break down the walls<br />
of stigma and silence that continue<br />
to surround mental health issues<br />
such as depression lundbeck,<br />
in association with AWARE, has<br />
launched a new mental health<br />
awareness campaign and website<br />
entitled ‘lean on Me’ which aims<br />
to encourage friends and family<br />
to support those affected by<br />
depression.<br />
The results of the IPOS Mori survey<br />
were published last month to mark<br />
the launch of the ‘lean on Me’<br />
campaign.<br />
The ‘lean on Me’ campaign has<br />
been developed to dispel the myths<br />
surrounding depression. Its aim is<br />
to encourage better understanding<br />
of the condition, and, above all,<br />
empower people by providing<br />
support to those affected and<br />
encouraging them to seek treatment<br />
if necessary.<br />
The campaign includes an<br />
interactive website – www.<br />
June Shannon<br />
reports on a new<br />
mental health<br />
awareness<br />
campaign and<br />
website www.<br />
leanonme.net which<br />
hopes to break<br />
down barriers by<br />
encouraging friends<br />
and family members<br />
to support those<br />
suffering with the<br />
condition.<br />
leanonme.net – which provides<br />
detailed information on the causes,<br />
symptoms and impact of depression.<br />
eurovision legends<br />
Johnny logan and niamh Kavanagh<br />
were on hand to launch the<br />
campaign last month. The singers<br />
teamed up with Bray Gospel Choir to<br />
deliver a surprise performance of Bill<br />
Withers’ classic song ‘lean on Me’ to<br />
passers by and lunchtime shoppers<br />
in the centre of Dublin.<br />
Speaking at the launch two-time<br />
Eurovision winner Johnny logan<br />
explained why he got involved with<br />
lean on Me: “lean on Me has an<br />
important message – be a friend<br />
to lean on. I know that I wouldn’t<br />
be where I am today without the<br />
support and love of my friends and<br />
family.“<br />
niamh Kavanagh commented<br />
“Just by being a friend to someone<br />
affected by depression you could<br />
help them on the road to recovery.<br />
The campaign challenged my<br />
perception of depression. It uses a<br />
different approach to encourage<br />
better understanding, empower you
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