Show Up campaign
When you live with mental illness, it can feel like the world slowly disappears around you.
Even as conversations about mental wellbeing have become more common, the reality for those living with mental illness has not changed nearly enough.
In fact, people with mental illness die on average 15 years earlier than the general population because of physical ill-health and preventable diseases which are routinely overlooked or dismissed.
This injustice needs to end.
We’re calling on the next Scottish Government to take urgent action to ensure people with mental illness are not dying as the result of a healthcare system that too often discriminates against them.
Are you with us?
#ShowUpWithSAMH
We all have a role to play in tackling mental health stigma, by showing up for mental health – whether that’s by recognising your own worth, offering kindness and connection to those around you, or by challenging the systems that disappear when the need is greatest.
How can I Show Up?
Here are a few ideas to help you support our campaign and Show Up for people with mental illness. You can also donate to SAMH to support our ongoing work.
Write to your MSPs and election candidates
Ask them to tackle preventable deaths
Show Up
How to Show Up for someone who is living with mental illness
Stigma and discrimination
Learn more about mental health stigma and discrimination
Learn about mental illness
Find out more about mental health problems and mental illness
Understanding rights
Understand rights related to mental health and illness
Become a campaigner
Become a SAMH campaigner, by signing up for emails with opportunities to get involved
Stories
Our supporters have shared their stories on why this campaign is so important
What we're asking politicians to change
Scotland needs to Show Up for people with mental illness and ensure no one dies as a result of a healthcare system that too often discriminates against them.
We're calling for the next Scottish Government to reduce the life expectancy gap between people living with mental illness and people without by at least 10% by 2034 and by 25% by 2046, through:
- Annual physical health checks designed specifically to catch those issues which are regularly missed
- Improved access to tailored healthy lifestyle programmes
- Action to reduce the disproportionate number of people with mental illness living in poverty, including dedicated employment support and a fair social security system.
Our Show Up campaign is central to our manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election which highlights key policy areas important to the people we support.
Our mission is to amplify our public voice and influence critical issues in Scotland, addressing stigma around mental health in care settings, the workplace and among friends and family.
