Get Out of Your Head
The Flemish Expertise Centre for Suicide Prevention (VLESP) chose Lucy to make an awareness campaign to reveal mental health problems and suicidal thoughts Flemish men deal with.
In all age groups, the number of men dying by suicide is higher than the amount of women. Suicide is never the outcome of one cause or factor, there are always more factors leading to that decision. But significantly, men appear to experience less social support than women, they tend to be less integrated and are more emotionally isolated. Besides that, they find it harder to reach out for psychological help than women do.
For us, this campaign is an important starting point to encourage men to recognise and more actively address psychological problems, within themselves or within their male entourage. That crucial step towards recognition, openness and social support can protect men from possible suicidal thoughts or attempts. With this campaign, we hope to contribute to lower the stigma of mental health problems in men.
The campaign consists of two touching campaign videos. "The core message that the videos want to put forward is that men should dare to talk about their mental problems and feelings. When one struggles with dark thoughts they have to battle a tough fight. A fight no one should be facing alone. We target that specific message specifically in the first video at men struggling with mental problems. Because even for those who are worried about someone, it is often difficult to take the first step and start the conversation about mental problems with the person they worry about.
Online platform
All men and their family, friends… can find information and useful tips on www.komuitjekop.be so that they can recognise the specific signs of having dark thoughts and find it less hard to find help. There you can also find some courageous video testimonials of a number of men revealing what they struggle with and how they deal with their mental health problems.