Tipper Gore, MTV VJ Ananda Lewis Discuss Mental Health Awareness Campaign
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: There is a new effort this morning to upgrade the image of mental health and eradicate the stigma usually associated with it. The newly-formed National Mental Health Awareness Campaign is a combination of public and private efforts, like this upbeat public service announcement you will see now on MTV.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no way to explain what it feels like.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People want to believe you are OK, so it's easy to present you're OK.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not because you're weak, its because you're sick.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody thinks I am happy.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not your fault.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing is, it does get better.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you're having a hard time or know someone who is, call or log on for more information: 1-877-495-0009, or visit or www.nostigma.org.</s>HARRIS: Tipper Gore serves as the nation's mental health adviser to the president and she helps kick off this new awareness campaign. And she joins us now from the White House lawn, as you see there. And she has got company, she is with MTV's Ananda Lewis, who is widely recognized for her concern for the nation's youth. We thank both of you ladies for talking to us this morning about this issue. Let's begin with you, Mrs. Gore. Why is it that you picked this particular issue?</s>TIPPER GORE, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE: Well, I've long been an advocate for mental health. And kids, in particular, need to know that there's no shame, there is no stigma that should be attached if they have a mental health issue. If you had a broken arm or a broken leg, you get to a doctor. If you have a mental health issue or you have a friend with one, you need to make sure that you get to a mental health professional and get help. These illnesses are diagnosable and treatable, as well as physical illnesses. And that's the message that MTV and Ananda here are willing to give to young people. We want to reach young people because one in five young people are affected by a mental health issue. Two-thirds of them don't get any help, and the reason is because of the shame and the stigma that is unfairly attached to mental health issues.</s>HARRIS: Now, that's a statistic I don't think I've ever heard before, you say one in five of all children are affected somehow, some way by some mental illness?</s>GORE: That's right. And that should be shocking and that should be a wake-up call. And that's one reason we're doing what we're doing. Also suicide is the third leading cause of death for kids...</s>ANANDA LEWIS, MTV VJ: Fifteen to 24.</s>GORE: ... 15 to 24, and that's one reason we're very happy to -- that MTV is making sure that the message gets to young people.</s>HARRIS: Well, let's talk to some of these young people, at least one of them right now, Ananda, let me ask you something about this campaign because I can't think of anything that would be less cool than talking about mental illness or mental health. How is it that this campaign is actually going to reach the youth that it needs to get through to?</s>LEWIS: Hopefully by showing them they're not alone in the problems they are dealing. There are young people all over this country that have felt exactly like they feel. And as long as we give them constructive ways to deal with those energies, they can live through it, and grow beyond it into healthy adults, who can then deal with their issues effectively. I also think that it is important for people in positions of being, quote, unquote, "role models" because I think kids should be their own role models, but if you give them role models to look at, I think they should be realistic role models. I have dealt with depression and all of that from the time I was about 12. So it is important for me to let people who look at me like a role model to see that role models are normal people and deal with normal issues, and are just as messed up sometimes and can get just as much help. I went to counseling when I was 15, and was kind of ashamed about it then. But grew to understand that that is really normal. And if I hadn't gotten some sort of help that, you know, I never know what could have happened to me. And look, with help, what did happen to me. So there is success stories that can be shared with young people so they can be inspired to know that there is hope; that it does seem like the darkest day of your life, but your life isn't over.</s>HARRIS: Well, here is one person wishing you all succeed with that. Good luck.</s>LEWIS: Thank you so much.</s>HARRIS: Thank you this morning to Ananda Lewis and to Tipper Gore. Thank you very much for your time this morning. Good luck.</s>LEWIS: Thank you, Leon.</s>GORE: Thank you, Leon.