Green Ribbon Month 2018 takes aim at stigma against Mental Health

Green Ribbon Month 2018: Mental health advocate and blogger, Jen Ronan (centre), Amanda Clifford from A.B.C. For Mental Health (right) and audience at the talk for Green Ribbon in the Hunt Museum. Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018. Picture: Sophie Goodwin/ilovelimerick

Green Ribbon Month 2018 takes aim at stigma against Mental Health

by ilovelimerick Correspondent Ryan O’Connell

Green Ribbon Month 2018, which takes place this May, aims to end the stigma against mental health. 500,000 green ribbons will be distributed nationwide and free of charge as a visual symbol to end the stigma surrounding mental health difficulties. Research conducted ahead of 2017’s Green Ribbon campaign showed that 4 in 10 people would conceal a mental health difficulty from family, friends or colleagues.

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As part of Green Ribbon Month 2018, A.B.C for Mental Health will be hosting a number of events around the city of Limerick, all hoping to further the conversation about Mental Health.

Jen Ronan, See Change Ambassador and Amanda Clifford, Limerick Mental Health Association. Cian Reinhardt/ilovelimerick

The events will kick off with a talk from Jen Ronan on Wednesday, May 2. The talk entitled ‘Mental Health and the Extreme Sport of Adulting’ will begin at 1 pm in the Hunt Museum. Jen is a mental health advocate and a blogger who writes about mental health issues and the new trend for adult colouring books. She is also regularly seen on TV3’s Midday programme. Ronan is an ambassador for See Change, the National Stigma Reduction Partnership which aims to tackle the discrimination against mental health issues.

Other talks will take place throughout the month at the Hunt Museum. Christine Beekman will host a ‘Living Confidently in the Moment’ on May 9 at 1 pm, while Saralee Cassidy will host ‘The Energy of Thought’ on May 16 at 1 pm. On the May 23, Patrick Mercie will host ‘Having a Life while making a Living’ at 1 pm, while Marie Hunt Dowling will host ‘Resilience – Healing Emotional Pain Through Self-Compassion’ on May 30 at 1 pm.

Other events for Green Ribbon Month 2018 will include the A.B.C for Mental Health Green Ribbon Event which will take place in Chez Le Fab on May 27.

The free admission event will take place from noon until 4.30 pm and will include children’s entertainment, live music and information stalls on mental health. A.B.C for Mental Health will also host an Art Exhibition in the North Munster Masonic Centre, Castle Street from June 3 – 9. Opening hours will be from 11 – 5 pm.

A.B.C. For Mental Health is a Limerick based organisation set up to promote a healthy and open attitude towards Mental Health. A.B.C. For Mental Health aims to promote mental health awareness, to reduce the stigma that is attached to mental health and to network with all the different organisations so everyone can work together to support people who experience mental health difficulties.

Speaking about Green Ribbon Month 2018, Amanda Clifford of A.B.C For Mental Health said, “Since 2014 A.B.C. for Mental Health have been organising talks & events in Limerick to promote Green Ribbon month. We would like to get people together, who what to make a difference, to feel they belong, to come to our green ribbon events as it is so important to promote open conversations on mental health & to challenge the stigma attached to mental health problems.  Alone we can do little, together we can do so much”.

For more information about A.B.C. For Mental Health events taking place for the month of May, contact Amanda Clifford at [email protected].

For more information on Green Ribbon Month 2018, go here.

For more stories on Green Ribbon Month, go here.