September 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the foundations of the Green Ribbon Campaign.
Established to promote and encourage honest and open conversations about mental health, the campaign will run throughout the month of September with a host of events together with a social media campaign geared workplaces, organisations and the general public.
The Green Ribbon campaign is coordinated by See Change which is Ireland’s National Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partnership and is dedicated to opening minds about mental health problems and end stigma and discrimination. 
See Change’s vision is that every person in Ireland can be open and positive about mental health, understanding it as a normal part of the ups and downs of life.
The Green Ribbon theme for 2022 is shame.
Throughout, See Change will explore what shame is, how shame presents itself and how shame impacts people with mental health difficulties.
This year’s campaign tagline is: “There is no shame in having a mental health difficulty.”
Keep an eye on our social media channels, including West Be Well’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, to learn about shame and the negative impacts it can have on people with mental health difficulties.
Highlights of this year’s campaign programme include two national launch dates.
The first will take place in Dublin in Smock Alley Theatre this Thursday, September 1 from 11am to 1pm. The second launch will be staged in Cork at the Hibernian Hotel in Mallow from 11am to 1pm on Tuesday, September 6.
The campaign will have a different weekly theme too.
Week one incorporates the Dublin launch and is all about understanding the topic of shame including Ireland’s history of transgenerational shame and the triggers that people living with shame experience.
Throughout week two of the campaign (September 5-9) the focus will be on what shame looks like in society and how it can negatively impact a person with mental health difficulties.
Week two events include the Cork launch of the campaign on September 6. World Suicide Prevention Day also falls on Saturday, 10th September.
What shame feels like is the topic for Week 3 of this year’s Green Ribbon Campaign.
Throughout this week the focus will be on the emotions of shame, including our thoughts and feelings.
The stories of those with lived experiences of shame, stigma and discrimination and how it made them feel from a mental health perspective will also be shared over the course of the week.
From September 19-23 the Green Ribbon Campaign will explore the theme of the behaviour of shame, looking at some of the behaviours of shame and highlighting its different categories (including the mind, body, culture and values), as well as the defence strategies of shame.
The final week of the 2022 Green Ribbon campaign (September 26 to 30) is dedicated to discussing validation and unconditional acceptance as the antidotes to shame.
You can register to attend any of the Green Ribbon events via this LINK.
You can find lots more information on the 2022 Green Ribbon campaign here: Green Ribbon FAQ 2022 (1)
You will find contact details for lots of great local and national mental health supports via this LINK.
