The Royal Family Is Working Together To Bring Awareness To Mental Health

Although we are making progress, mental health is still not a topic discussed nearly enough, despite the fact that it affects such a large number of people. But the British royal family is taking the steps to change that. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry just announced their support for a campaign called Heads Together, a charity with the goal of opening up the conversation about mental health to strip away the stigma and misconceptions and encourage people to get the help they need.

In a speech at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts this week, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry outlined their plans for Heads Together and discussed some of the reasons why people often don’t seek help for their mental health.

“The challenge that so many people have is not knowing how to take that first step of reaching out to another person for help,” Middleton said in her speech, according to People. “Admitting that they are not coping. Fear, or reticence, or a sense of not wanting to burden another, means that people suffer in silence—allowing the problem to grow larger and larger unchecked.”

According to its website, the Heads Together campaign works with young people, veterans as well as with emergency response homeless charities to resolve social challenges that come as a result of people struggling with mental health. It includes a number of charities that the royal family endorses that have all partnered together to work on issues related to mental health.

Heads Together has also been selected as the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year, according to People. In April, marathon runners will raise money for Heads Together’s charity partners, and the royals hope the event will help people start conversations about mental health with their friends, families and coworkers.