E57 Top Mistake When Communicating Mental Health

Behaviour Change Marketing Bootcamp

Today's episode welcomes Nedra Kline Weinreich, president and founder of Weinreich Communications. Nedra has over 25 years experience delivering social marketing to create positive change on health and social care issues.

Quote from Nedra

"I would say the the biggest issue that I see in campaigns that are trying to reduce stigma, whether it's around mental health issues, or any other kind of stigmatised issue is you want to avoid the S word, which is stigma.

If you keep talking about how there's a stigma to mental illness, or to getting treatment, and that we need to remove the stigma, what that actually does is reinforce that there's a stigma. We shouldn't be talking about the stigma over and over again."

What is social marketing?

Nedra explains what social marketing is in 60 seconds and how it is different to a traditional behavioural science research approach.

Social marketing Mental Health Campaign

Nedra shares the campaign "Take Action for Mental Health" a campaign designed to help you check in, learn more, and get support for your own mental health or the mental health of someone you care about.

3 aha moments 💡

1. Stigma is not the main barrier. Tools to talk are.

2. Talking about stigma normalises stigma. Avoid the 's' word

3. When talking about suicide, don't normalise it as an option instead talk about the hope and help. Hope that it can be stopped. Help - where the services are. Who people can turn too.

Nedra's book recommendation

Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath

Links

• Take Action for Mental Health - https://takeaction4mh.com/
• Take Action for Mental Health evaluation - https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2101-1.html
• Suicide prevention messaging toolkit -https://www.suicidepreventionmessaging.org/
• Nedra's website includes free social marketing resources - https://social-marketing.com/

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