NCSS sheds light on mental health stigma with 'Beyond the Label' social experiment

National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has launched a "Beyond the Label" initiative in a bid to address stigma faced by persons with mental health conditions in society and drive a change in public's perception. McCann Worldwide Group worked closely with NCSS for this campaign.A social experiment was conducted as part of this initiative. Two moderators, Nicole and Nicholas, sit with members of the public and prompt questions about mental health in Singapore. This includes their knowledge of mental health conditions, views on hiring or dating an individual who suffers from the condition as well as their reactions if a friend or family member gets diagnosed with the condition.It was revealed at the end of the discussion that both Nicole and Nicholas were diagnosed with clinical depression and have recovered fully 12 years later. A letter they both wrote about their journey suffering with the illness and road to recovery was asked to be read aloud by the members in the discussion. Most shed tears and apologised as they read the heart-wrenching letters.The video posted on Facebook has garnered 498,000 views and 7,000 shares at the time of writing. "Beyond the Label" is a five-year public education effort funded by the Tote Board Mental Health Strategic Initiative. As part of the initiative, a three-year public education campaign will also be launched to encourage the public to "go beyond" the label of a mental health diagnosis. This includes viewing and regarding persons with mental health conditions for who they are as an individual.The objectives of the campaign are to: Raise awareness of the stigma towards persons with mental health conditions Celebrate the resilience, strength and contributions of persons in recovery from mental health conditions Educate and equip the public with tips and knowledge to interact and support persons in recovery Facilitate more conversations on mental health Encourage more balanced reporting and portrayal of persons with mental health conditions in the news and media.