Name found for the brand – Mental Revolution
The Alice Syndrome band, have decided to set up a political fashion brand, to promote awareness of mental health, and push for societal change to address the increasing certainty that, to a large extent, it is society itself which causes and exacerbates people’s mental health issues, so for us, it is not about simple awareness, it is about commitment to change. So we will be a bit radical in our messages.
Our mission is to use fashion as a medium to challenge stigma and promote acceptance of mental health issues. We are a music band that creates songs based on our own experiences and struggles with mental health. Our lyrics reflect the diversity and complexity of mental health, from hearing voices to coping with anxiety. We want to share our messages with the world through our clothing line, which features designs inspired by our songs. Our clothing is not meant to be subtle or discreet, but rather bold and radical. We want people to wear our t-shirts and spark conversations about mental health, to raise awareness and reduce isolation. We believe that mental health is not something to be ashamed of, but something to be celebrated and supported. We hope that our fashion brand will empower people to express themselves and embrace their mental health as part of their identity.
Mental health is a topic that affects many people, especially in the music industry. According to Help Musicians UK (2017), 71% of musicians have experienced anxiety and panic attacks, and 68% have suffered from depression. However, there is still a stigma and a lack of understanding around mental health issues, which can make people feel isolated, hopeless, and afraid to seek help. As musicians who have struggled with various mental health issues, we know how hard it can be to cope with those issues, and what they feel like. They can make you feel alone, depressed, and suicidal. They can also interfere with your creativity, performance, and relationships.
Despite numerous calls for greater acceptance of mental health issues, there is still massive stigma and ignorance regarding the subject. People with mental health issues often face rejection, discrimination, and violence from society, even from their own friends and family. They are told that they are crazy, dangerous, or possessed. Often are forced to hide their issues or to take medication that may not work or have harmful or disabling side effects. They are denied the opportunity to explore the meaning and origin of their issues, or to find ways to cope with them that suit their needs and preferences.
That is why we decided to create this fashion brand – Mental Revolution, to help raise mental health awareness, and, importantly, social acceptance and curiosity.
Mental Revolution is a not for profit organisation, currently with a sole mission to popularise the idea that it is society itself which is breaking us, and this has to change. This change, has to come from society itself – each of us needs to find peace within, so there can be hope of peace without.
As a first step, we have launched a range of t-shirts on Etsy, and will expand this over the coming months. We will use any sales to fund further advertising and promotion to sell more.
Mental health awareness is more than just talking about it. It is also about how we talk about it, both with others and ourselves. We need to be mindful of the words we use, the tone we adopt, and the messages we convey when we discuss mental health issues. We have to avoid stigmatizing labels, such as “crazy”, “psycho”, or “broken”, that can harm people’s self-esteem and sense of identity. Likewise, we need to see each person as a unique individual, with their own strengths, challenges, and experiences, not as a diagnosis or a problem to be fixed. We have to be open to listening, empathizing, and supporting those who struggle with their mental health, and also to sharing our own struggles when we feel comfortable. We need to create a culture of acceptance, compassion, and hope for everyone who lives with mental health issues.
To achieve this, society has to change in many ways. We must invest more in mental health services and education, and make them accessible and affordable for everyone. We must challenge the stereotypes and myths that surround mental health issues, and promote accurate and positive representations in the media and in everyday conversations. Furthermore, we have to encourage people to seek help when they need it, and to feel they can reach out in many directions without fear of judgment or discrimination. This support cannot be solely medication-based. We need to recognize that mental health is not a personal weakness or a moral failing, but a complex and multifaceted aspect of human experience that deserves respect and care. It’s actually something that many people successfully hide, even to themselves. But this needs to change.
“The most powerful words you can say to someone with an invisible illness are… I believe you.” – Author unknown (Mental Health America, n.d.)
This is a movement to change not just hearts and minds, but also, the social systems which often reinforce the behaviour of individuals. The education system, for example, this needs to become entirely more person centred, both in the way individuals are taught, but also in what they are taught.
14-02-2024 – Worsening mental health support for children and adults
Many people are commenting that mental health support for children in the UK is becoming worse. Certainly, the mainstream media is reporting on many cuts, both to benefits and services. This claim is supported by some statistics that show an increase in the prevalence of mental health problems among young people, as well as difficulties in accessing adequate services and early intervention. Here is a summary of some of the relevant data:
• According to NHS Digital (2021), one in six young people in England aged 5 to 19 experienced a probable mental disorder in 2020-2021, up from one in nine in 2017. This means that five children in a classroom of 30 are likely to have a mental health problem (The Children’s Society, n.d.).
• Young people in the lowest income bracket are 4.5 times more likely to experience severe mental health problems than those in the highest income bracket (Gutman et al., 2015).
• More than two thirds of young people would prefer to be able to access mental health support without going through their GP, but many do not know other routes to get help (Mind, 2021).
• Half of all mental health problems start by the age of 14, but many young people do not seek help until they reach a crisis point (The Children’s Society, n.d.).
These statistics suggest that there is a need for more investment in mental health support for children and young people in the UK, especially in providing early and accessible services that can prevent the escalation of problems and improve their wellbeing.
The major concern is, that as we see our mental health services needing to stretch further and further with limited resources, that we will also see an increase in poor practice and inappropriately targetted medication.
Update: The web domain mental-revolution.com has been bought and is currently parked. The plan is to bring this online sometime in the next month.
Name found for the brand – Mental Revolution The Alice Syndrome band, have decided to set up a political fashion brand, to promote awareness of mental health, and push for societal change to address the increasing certainty that, to a large extent, it is society itself which causes and exacerbates people’s mental health issues, so …
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