Lanarkshire Armed Forces veteran fronting new mental health campaign

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Lanarkshire man is fronting a new campaign from a national mental health programme to help more veterans open up about their mental health.

Danny Gemmell, from East Kilbride, is one of five Armed Forces veterans acting as the face of a new campaign from See Me, Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

On average it can take over a decade for a veteran to ask for the support they need with their mental health, with some even considering or attempting suicide before speaking out.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android As part of the campaign, Danny was photographed by photographer Andy Low, and his portrait went on display as part of an installation in Edinburgh’s Waverley train station in early December.Each of the portraits was accompanied by a QR code, which station users could scan on their phones to listen to each veterans’ experiences of mental health stigma, and getting help.Danny served with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for nine years, and is one of the veterans featured in the photographs.He said: “I think I started to struggle with my mental health as soon as I left the forces. "I think I had some challenges when I was in there, but there was never really the opportunity to speak about it.“When I was struggling, I never felt comfortable to speak to people