NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--About 1 in 4 adult Americans will experience a mental health disorder in any given year¹ and about 1 in 10 children will have a serious emotional disturbance.² While mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada,³ mental illness is ranked as the top stigmatized illness.⁴ Inspired by more than 30 years working with state and national affiliates in the community to raise mental health awareness and educate the public, offer local support programs, advocate for legislation, and improve the mental health system, today the National Alliance on Mental Illness-NYC Metro (NAMI-NYC Metro) launches the “I Will Listen” campaign, a video-based, social, anti-stigma campaign that transforms popular social media networks into a community of support.

Timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week beginning on October 6, the “I Will Listen” campaign challenges negative stereotypes which keep many from seeking treatment by encouraging the public to make videos pledging to listen to those affected by mental illness without judgment. “I Will Listen” videos, tweets, Instagram photos, and Facebook posts can be uploaded to and viewed at the NAMI-NYC Metro Facebook page, which acts as the hub for all “I Will Listen” user-generated content. Redesigned to support the campaign, the page offers local NAMI Helpline details, guidance on how visitors can find their closest NAMI affiliate, educational materials, and advice on how to best support those with mental health needs. The public can also spread awareness of the movement by liking the NAMI-NYC Metro Facebook page, adding the “I Will Listen” stamp to Facebook profile photos, or using the #IWillListen hashtag across platforms like Twitter and Instagram allowing individuals to quickly identify and connect to supporters in their social communities.

“Eradicating stigma is critical and is the reason our organization was founded more than three decades ago. Stigma prevents people from seeking treatment, which is key to managing mental health issues, and makes individuals who are ill and their families feel ashamed, to blame, and isolated,” said Wendy Brennan, Executive Director, NAMI-NYC Metro. “What is extraordinary about the “I Will Listen” campaign is that everyone, no matter where they are or their experience with mental health issues, can participate in a dynamic dialogue surrounding mental health by committing to listen to those who suffer. By promising to listen, we can really change society’s perceptions about mental illness.”

Over 150 “I Will Listen” videos appear on the NAMI-NYC Metro Facebook page at launch, including those featuring former NAMI-NYC Metro Board President, Mike Thompson, and current Board President, Barbara Ricci. The two videos, created by JWT Ethos, tell personal stories and serve as the official PSAs of the “I Will Listen” campaign; they will air on WCBS and WLNY throughout October. In addition, the “I Will Listen” campaign will be supported with digital billboards and online advertising and discussed at the NAMI-NYC Metro and the Northeast Business Group on Health Workplace Mental Health Summit on October 2. The Summit brings together executives across an array of sectors to share best practices and engage in an open discussion about how their companies manage mental health issues in the workplace. Participant companies include: Barclays, CBS Corporation, Credit Suisse, Prudential, Deutsche Bank, 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds, New York City Office of Labor Relations, and Aon Hewitt. A survey conducted by NAMI-NYC Metro and JWT Ethos in May revealing startling public misconceptions on mental illness, and an infographic representing their findings, also appears on the NAMI-NYC Metro Facebook page.

“I know firsthand how important the simple act of listening is to the families and individuals affected by psychiatric disorders in their daily lives. I have learned this directly through my family's experiences and as an active member of the largest NAMI affiliate in the country,” said Barbara Ricci, NAMI-NYC Metro Board President and Managing Director at Deutsche Bank. “I encourage everyone to take the "I Will Listen" pledge. By letting it be known that you will listen, you will become part of the movement to end the silence, to help your local community and ultimately bring the rest of the country into an honest, open conversation about mental health.”

To learn more about the “I Will Listen” campaign or to make the “I Will Listen” pledge, visit Facebook.com/NAMINYC or IWillListen.org.

About NAMI-NYC Metro

The National Alliance on Mental Illness-NYC Metro was founded in 1979 and is the largest NAMI affiliate in the country. The organization works collaboratively with state and national affiliates in the community to raise mental health awareness and public education, offer local support group programs, advocate for legislation, reduce stigma, and improve the mental health system. Learn more at NAMINYCMetro.org.

¹ “Statistics: Any Disorder Among Adults,” National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.), March 5, 2013. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1ANYDIS_ADULT.shtml

² “Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999 http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/access/NNBBHS.pdf

³ “The Global Burden of Disease: 2004 Update, Table A2: Burden of disease in DALYs by cause, sex and income group in WHO regions, estimates for 2004.”The World Health Organization, 2008. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_AnnexA.pdf

⁴ “Exploration of Mental Illness,” NAMI-NYC Metro & JWT Ethos, February 2013.