The event will feature the screening of  The Sunnyboy, which explores the experiences of 80s band Sunnyboys frontman Jeremy Oxley, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Director Kaye Harrison said the project, which spanned over the course of three years, aimed to spread the message that mental illness is not a death sentence.“I was interested in doing a story which offered hope,” Harrison said.

“I was looking to boost understanding and have less fear and to make people see that people can reclaim part of their lives and still live meaningful lives.”

The stigma surrounding mental illness was what drove Harrison to make the film.

“There are a lot of myths around schizophrenia like there is a split personality – and it’s not like that at all,” she said.

“It affects people in different ways," event organiser and Armidale rehabilitation coordinator Celia Halliburton said sharing stories such as Jeremy Oxley’s was the most effective way of building understanding of mental illness in the wider community. 

“Peoples’ journeys and their stories are the best way to convey messages of hope of recovery,” Ms Halliburton said.

“It’s basically to make people aware that there are people living with mental illness in our community and what services are available to help.

“It’s not just for those who are suffering from a mental illness, but also those who are caring for them.”

The film will be followed by a question and answer session with Harrison and Peter Oxley, Jeremy’s brother and band mate.

The event will be held at the Armidale Ex-Services Club from 6pm with the film to commence at 7pm and the question session from 8.30pm. 

Tickets will be available at the Ex-Services Club and Black Dot Music before the event, as well as at the door on the night.

Meanwhile, Armidale will be zipping it today as part of World Mental Health Day, with people taking up the challenge to not talk to support the cause.

The day draws to a close Mental Health Awareness Week, which has spread the word about mental illnesses.

With about one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness each year, people are giving up their voice to distribute the message with silence being more potent than words.

The aim of the day is to encourage people to seek help, reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and foster community connections and wellbeing.

Mental Health Australia chief executive Frank Quinlan said it was about time people stop considering the issue as part of the “too hard basket”.

“What we need is commitment to long-term systemic and fundamental reform of the mental health system … [it] must be funded outside the usual short-term electoral and budgetary cycles.

“Mental illness costs our economy [about] $20 billion in lost productivity annually," Mr Quinlan said.

The most common mental health conditions are anxiety disorders at more than 14 per cent of people followed by affective disorders at more than 6 per cent.

Of the latter, depression makes up more than 4 per cent.

General manager of research at Beyondblue Brian Graetz said depression was still misunderstood in the community, but awareness and understanding was changing through education campaigns.

Dr Graetz said people living with depression can be greatly debilitated by the condition, which was made more profound through their ability to mask its effects.

 “Some people can still function but to them they feel like they are just holding on,” Dr Graetz said.

A review into mental health services will be handed to the federal government next month.

More information can be found at 1010.org.au and to get involved in Zip It, visit www.zipit.org.au

Editorial.

Read more about In My Mother’s Hands, which details what it was like growing up with mother, suffered from severe schizophrenia, here Writer returns home to launch memoir with a big focus on Armidale