Pro Mente Sana lets Young Boys players talk about feelings
To mark October 10, International Mental Health Day, BSC Young Boys launched a testimonial campaign to promote mental health as part of the Pro Mente Sana "How are you?" campaign.
The campaign aims to encourage people to deal with their emotions and talk about them. Five players from the Bern soccer club are setting a good example by talking about their feelings in video clips. The mental health of top athletes is still a big taboo, despite the high pressure to perform. They often don't talk about their mental problems until after their careers. The fear of professional or media consequences that could jeopardize their career is too great.
Removing the taboo from mental illness
The multiple Swiss football champion BSC Young Boys wants to use its charisma for athletes, fans, sports clubs and business partners to take responsibility. YB has therefore been working together with the Pro Mente Sana Foundation since 2019. With joint campaigns, they want to contribute to the removal of taboos surrounding mental illness.
In video clips for the international mental health day, five YB exponents talk about different emotions. For example, about why they sometimes feel empty and how they deal with this feeling; or why they feel grateful or secure.
The clips will run on YB's social media channels from October 10 to 17 and will be broadcast at the YB - Luzern match on October 16 at the Wankdorf stadium. After the match, Wanja Greuel, CEO of BSC Young Boys, and Marcel Wisler, Co-Head of Health Promotion & Communication at Pro Mente Sana, will talk about the campaign and the importance of mental health in a talk. On November 30, 2021, they will also organize a sports symposium under the motto "Mental stress in competitive sports - ready to talk about it?" at the Wankdorf Stadium.
Talking about feelings - even negative ones
"How are you?" is a campaign by the German-speaking cantons of Switzerland and the Pro Mente Sana Foundation on behalf of Health Promotion Switzerland. The campaign shows how mental health can be promoted and aims to motivate the population to talk about feelings, including negative ones. Because only if people can also talk openly about stressful issues can help and support be provided and, at best, illnesses be prevented. The campaign provides impulses for strengthening mental health and tips on how to talk about it on the website how-are-you.ch and in the "How are you?" app.
Video clips and more information about the measures on bscyb.ch/pro-mente-sana
