How has COVID-19 and the lockdowns impacted the mental health of the ad industry?
The Mentally Healthy Change Group has released a book in partnership with Heart On My Sleeve Movement to reduce stigma around mental health in the media, marketing and creative industry.
The book features honest stories from 22 industry leaders and senior executives on the impact that COVID-19 has had on their mental health.
The stories cover topics such as dealing with anxiety and depression, isolation, homeschooling and sick relatives as well as the positives of reconnecting with family and old friends.
“We’ve all been impacted by the pandemic one way or another but that impact is different to everyone and might not always be obvious or visible to others," says Nina Nyman, CMO at UnLtd and co-chair of the Mentally Healthy Change Group.
"We hope that the stories shared here help create empathy around what others might be experiencing and encourage everyone to be honest when things are not okay.”
The contributors include leaders and senior executives from across the industry, including client-side, creative agencies, media agencies, tech vendors, industry bodies and media owners.
Pippa Chambers, member of the Mentally Healthy Change Group and lead on the book project, says the COVID-19 lockdown has brought about extreme levels of change in all facets of people’s personal and working lives, not least the impact it’s had on mental health.
"Hearing such raw, powerful and honest accounts of how industry peers have coped during this challenging time is both eye opening and inspiring so a big thank you to everyone who took part," she says.
"Hopefully this book will act as a catalyst for people to open up, share their stories too or ask for help when needed.”
The book is produced in partnership with the Heart On My Sleeve Movement, a global social movement empowering people to share stories of struggle and resilience.
Mitch Wallis, founder and CEO of Heart on My Sleeve, says stories have the power to unify us through tough times because they are a potent reminder that we can cope together.
"When we see an industry speak up about hardships of ambiguity in a time like COVID, we are given the certainty that we aren’t alone," says Wallis
The 2020 book is available HERE:
The previous Heart On My Sleeve book from 2019 sharing agency CEOs mental health stories is HERE.
If you or someone you care about needs support, please contact:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
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