Using humour as the gateway in the toughest brief of them all
R U OK Day is a suicide prevention initiative which sprang out of the advertising industry. In this guest post, Rebecca Lewis, campaign manager of the R U OK Foundation, explains that the responsibilities of promoting the cause hang heavy.
Getting the nation to talk about the issue of suicide prevention is a seemingly endless and sometimes impossible task.
When developing a communications and marketing strategy, I can feel hemmed in by the complications and sensitivities of the issue, while feeling weighed down by the knowledge that social media can heighten risk in the community. I also feel a sense of obligation to the people that mourn their loved ones’ death every day. There are nights when I lie awake, fretting that a careless word may have offended, exacerbated grief or normalised a destructive behaviour.
This from Beyond Blue on male depression was absolutely brilliant. I can’t believe it didn’t get more attention: http://www.mantherapy.org.au
Great campaign from what I’ve seen of it, Rebecca. I can well believe the sleepless nights. Kudos to you and your team for your courage.
Such an encouraging article, I have nothing but admiration for the work being done and the search for new ideas.
The subject is not only vast and complex in itself, it is further complicated by the two edged sword of religion, right to life, abortion and euthanasia. I have been touched by suicide as many others have, I am as puzzled and saddened as anyone.
I would never pretend to understand the cause of the problem, but I cannot get away from the idea that the loss of the containable life style and the changing social and economic pressures are aggravations.
Hi Rebecca. From a sufferer of Depression and having lived through what the symptoms can do to a persons health and well being, I would like to offer thanks for your work. It is insightful and it understands the symptoms of the condition and what we can all do to reach inside of a person we are worried about. Suffering depression is an isolating and lonely, confusing and emotionally paralyzing experience. Having someone take note and interest is a really good first step for those suffering.
As for mantherapy.org.au. To those responsible, stick to selling toilet paper. The campaign was shallow, misguided and lacked real insight into the world of the male depression sufferer. A waste of time and effort that fails on the most fundamental levels.
I was at seminar recently on how reporting on suicides and communicating about it is delicate and can have a normalising effect. One of the things raised was that this campaign, It Gets Better, Mantherapy etc, are all not evidence based and while well intentioned, may be dangerous.
I guess I see both sides and why this must be a very tricky job on a worthwhile concept.
Look, I appreciate some of the comments from, what is quite obviously, serious depression sufferers. Again, in defence of mantherapy.org.au it was a brilliant social media campaign that dealt with a difficult subject matter in an appropriate way. To simply right it off is wrong as it was brave and important. Hats off to them.
Some of the people in greatest need exist in the advertising agencies we all work for, being overworked, belittled, harassed and driven to suicide. I know. Someone I worked with committed suicide. The industry needs to take a look in the mirror and change the practices that can worsen depression and lead to suicide.