Your Story is More Than Your Struggles.
Let’s Redefine Mental Health Conversations.

In today’s society, people have become more aware of mental illnesses, but misconceptions about treatment and attitudes toward those affected persist. These social stigmas often arise not from hatred or discrimination, but from ignorance and “not knowing better.” They can manifest subtly through online comments, snarky remarks, or body language. If unaddressed, these stigmas can discourage people with mental illnesses from seeking help due to feelings of shame, guilt, and fear.

The “It’s Not You” campaign advocates normalising mental health conversations and distinguishing individuals from their symptoms. It seeks to shift societal perceptions by creating safe spaces, offering resources, and fostering community support. Through a holistic approach, the campaign aims to build empathetic environments that encourage open discussions and supportive networks around mental health.

In this heartfelt video, three pairs of friends open up and share their personal experiences with stress, depression, and trauma. Through honest conversations, they reveal the importance of support, understanding, empathy, and breaking the stigmas surrounding mental health.  By sharing their struggles, they remind us that “It’s Not You” – your mental health does not determine your worth and who you are entirely. Let’s normalise these conversations and see that these challenges do not define the person, but are simply part of their journey.

Ah Dee

Ah Dee represents Depression, like a cloud constantly hovering over us, whether we’re aware of it or not. They carry a weight of sadness that seeps into everything, dampening the spirits of those nearby. Ah Dee’s tears, from light drizzles to heavy rainstorms, reflect emotional fluctuations—small episodes or turbulent struggles. Their presence drains energy, making even simple tasks feel overwhelming, as if the rain has soaked into your bones.

Tarama

Tarama represents Trauma, misunderstood as prickly but merely trying to keep others at a distance to avoid being hurt again. Their presence lingers like a shadow, often emerging in moments of vulnerability, such as when someone is emotionally drained or alone. Tarama whispers doubts and fears, amplifying insecurities and self-blame, never fully disappearing. They resurface unexpectedly, triggered by seemingly insignificant events or memories, always reminding those they’ve touched of their lasting impact.

Stressia

Stressia represents Stress, small yet weighed down by countless worries. Despite their seemingly harmless appearance, they latch onto negative thoughts and worst-case scenarios, making even simple comforts feel suffocating. Stressia’s embrace, intended to soothe, often constricts, symbolising how stress can overwhelm daily life. While many resent Stressia, they often overlook that when managed, stress can serve as a helpful companion.

*Disclaimer: These characters are not meant to be generalisations of the mental illnesses they portray. We recognise that traits manifest differently in different cases and these characters are not intended to be one-size-fits-all representations.

Take a quiz to find out which superpower suits you best!

Which superpowers do you have in your arsenal? Find out through this quiz! Through the quiz, we wish to encourage help-seeking behaviours and actions that are accessible daily. 

Don’t forget to share the results with your friends to see if there are coping activities that can be carried out together! After all, having a community is most important to sustain a solid support system in times of need and vulnerability. 

*Disclaimer: This quiz is not a replacement for any existing or ongoing therapy or professional mental health care and is not meant to be a diagnostic tool.

Take The Quiz

Empower Yourself with Knowledge: Download our Mental Health Toolkit

Our goal is to ensure that the positive behaviours encouraged by the “It’s Not You” campaign endure well beyond its duration. We hope that the values and attitudes promoted can be woven into everyday life and not confined to this initiative. To support you on your journey to destigmatise mental health, we’ve compiled additional resources that may be useful. These resources are designed to not only encourage help-seeking but also to normalise accessible coping strategies for everyone.

Ultimately, overcoming mental health stigma and creating a more empathetic society is a shared battle, and we can’t do it without you! We highly appreciate your support by sharing our cause with others and making donations. Donations will be used to fund future projects and services by EMCC that support people going through mental health challenges, such as anxiety, marital conflicts, trauma, and career transitions.

Donate to Support

Eagles Mediation & Counselling Centre (EMCC) was established in 1997 to bring hope to individuals and families through their relational, emotional, and mental health challenges with our mediation and counselling services, as well as training and education programmes.

As a non-profit organisation, EMCC provides subsidised counselling services to the community, advocates for and raises public awareness of mental well-being, as well as trains and equips practitioners involved in counselling, particularly in couple therapy and trauma, with effective and advanced clinical interventions and modalities.

Please select your character:

Drop your name and email to download our resources!