Samaritans rap encourages teenagers to speak out about mental health
Date: Thursday 12th June
2008
Contact: Claire Duncan / Graeme Smith
(Producer)
Phone: +44 (0)208 394 8345/ +44
(0)7900221417
Email: c.duncan@samaritans.org /
Graeme.Smith@stw.nhs.uk
Samaritans is releasing a rap song entitled
‘1 in 10 (talk to someone)’ to challenge the stigma surrounding
mental health and encourage young people to speak about problems
before they escalate.
‘1 in 10 (talk to
someone)’ is inspired by the story of Shirley Smith, a mother who
lost her 19-year-old son Daniel to suicide in March
2005. Shirley said: “The sadness and ache in our
hearts is unbearable at times but we made a conscious decision
after Dan’s death to tell our story, to try to encourage young
people to talk about their problems, not to keep them bottled up so
they destroy you.”
The song was written and performed by
students from Thornhill Business and Enterprise School in
Sunderland and produced by Occupational Therapist Graeme Smith, who
worked with students who wanted to do something positive and
productive after a 13-year-old pupil at the school took his own
life last year.
Graeme said: “We have a further seven songs
written, performed or inspired by people who have direct experience
of mental health services. Behind each song is a powerful story
which we believe challenges mental health stigma and creates a
message of hope, recovery and resilience.”
“The students at Thornhill Business and
Enterprise School have been directly affected by suicide and I
believe this project has really influenced the lives of the young
people in a positive way and changed their perception of mental
health completely”.
Shirley said: “The lyrics really moved me
when I first heard them and when I saw the video it was incredible.
The message is simple; ‘talk to someone’ if you feel low, please do
not think you are alone. There is always someone, your parents, a
friend, a teacher, a doctor or Samaritans. Please don’t suffer in
silence.”
Suicide is the biggest killer of young men
under the age of 35 and around one in ten young people will
experience a mental health problem each year. Funds raised from the
song will go to support the work of Samaritans and Comic Relief’s
campaign to combat mental health stigma. The DVD of ‘1 in 10 (talk
to someone)’ is supported by the Radio One Chris Moyles Breakfast
Show and features an introductory message of support for young
people from radio personality Chappers. Funding for the project was
supplied by the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) and
Samaritans. The compilation CD featuring rock, pop, and R& B
tracks will be released later this year.
‘1 in 10 (talk to someone)’ is available
for download on iTunes from Monday 16th June and
DVDs and ring tones can be ordered online at http://www.yourlifeline.org.uk/.
The DVD was shot in Sunderland and has been nominated for the
Health and Social Care Awards 2008.
The emotional support charity Samaritans is
on hand for 24 hour confidential emotional support for anyone in
any type of distress on 08457 90 90 90 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.
-ends-
Notes to editors
It is the aim of Samaritans
to make emotional health a mainstream issue. Samaritans'
vision is for a society where fewer people die by suicide because
people are able to share feelings of emotional distress openly
without fear of being judged. Samaritans believes that
offering people the opportunity to be listened to in confidence,
and accepted without prejudice, can alleviate despair and suicidal
feelings.
Samaritans is a registered charity, founded in
1953, which offers 24-hour confidential emotional support to anyone
in emotional distress. The service is offered by 16,800
trained volunteers and is entirely dependent on voluntary
support. Across the UK, you can call Samaritans on 08457 90
90 90 (1850 60 90 90 in the Republic of Ireland) email, write to
Samaritans at Chris, PO Box 9090, Stirling, FK8 2SA, or if you are
deaf or hard of hearing use the single national minicom number
08457 90 91 92. Log on to www.samaritans.org for more information.
Calls from BT will be charged at up to 4 pence per minute at all
times. A call set-up fee of 3 pence per minute applies to calls
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