New campaign launched to help South Asian women's mental health in Sandwell

West Midlands charity Changing Our Lives wants the Beyond the Stigma campaign to stop mental health being a taboo subject in South Asian communities.

Using a digital book and social media South Asian women from Sandwell share their stories and encourage others to engage in the conversation.

Virtual creative workshops with award winning poet and spoken word artist Shareefa Energy will also explore how the arts can be a powerful way to share experiences and challenge myths.

The workshops supported self-expression and celebrated identity and value, giving women the opportunity to explore ideas and develop their own writing and creative work.

Each story is an individual journey written in the their words and include descriptions of self-harm, suicide, depression eating disorders and substance misuse

Changing Our Lives Jayne Leeson CEO said: "Beyond the Stigma is a collection of real-life experiences of mental health difficulties as told by five South Asian Sandwell women, all brave and all defiant in the face of cultural prejudices towards mental health. It’s been our pleasure and privilege to have worked with these women to tell their stories as their experiences resonate with us all as human beings."

Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, cabinet member for adults, social care and health at Sandwell council said: “I congratulate the women involved and Changing Our Lives for their bravery in publicly developing this campaign. It is important, particularly in these difficult times, that we recognise the importance of good mental health for ourselves and our friends and family.

"To tackle mental health issues different people may need different solutions so it is wonderful to see innovative work like this being carried out throughout Sandwell."

For more information visit www.changingourlives.org.