As Barbados and the world celebrated World Mental Health Day yesterday, the National Mental Health Commission launched the This Is Me campaign. Dr Maisha Emmanuel, chair of the commission, said the initiative was an invitation to Barbadians who had struggled with their mental health and felt alone to be seen and heard.
“We know that right now, somewhere in this country, there is a young man carrying anger he does not know how to name – anger that the world has taught him to hide. There is a teenager sitting in a classroom with anxiety so heavy it feels like a physical weight,” she said.
“This campaign is for all of them. It is for all of you,” Emmanuel said.
The campaign takes its cue from the global theme Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.
“Those are not just words. They are a challenge – to listen more deeply, to speak more honestly, and to build a Barbados where no one has to carry their pain in silence,” she said.
The commission has identified five priority areas for 2026: youth mental health and violence prevention; adolescent depression, anxiety and suicide prevention; substance use and mental health; the well-being of the ageing population and dementia awareness; and mental health literacy and stigma reduction.
“These are not abstract priorities. They are the realities of our neighbours, our colleagues, our children, and our parents. And they deserve more than sympathy. They deserve action,” she said.
Emmanuel urged Barbadians to check on people who seemed fine, make space for uncomfortable conversations and seek help when struggling.
“Call our mental health helpline,” she said, encouraging people to speak to a doctor or someone they trusted.
“You do not have to be in crisis to ask for support. You just have to be human.”
Mental health
“For too long, mental health in Barbados has been spoken about in clinical terms, by professionals, behind closed doors. This Is Me changes that. It says: your story matters. Your experience is valid. And when you are ready to share it, Barbados is ready to listen,” Emmanuel said.
The commission said This Is Me would invite people of different ages and backgrounds to share their mental health stories. Their voices will be shared across social media and community spaces.
The campaign is the centrepiece of the commission’s communications programme, structured around the priority areas and intended to challenge stigma.
(NS/PR)