By Ollie Heppenstall
DMU’s politics society is aiming to bring mental health and the stigma surrounding it into the spotlight in a debate in the Queen’s Building on Monday 20th of February.
Society Secretary Chris Segal, a second year politics student, said: “Everyone’s got some experience with mental health, and hopefully with what happens tonight we can start to develop or potentially change part of the stigma surrounding it.
“With everyone bringing up points and opening up about it, we’ll be able to show them that they’re not alone in dealing with it.
“Mental health is something I’m quite passionate about on a personal basis, so to some degree I’m hosting my own debate.”
When asked about the society and his own part in it, he said: “I got into politics when I was about fifteen, when the coalition government was elected.
“I’ve always thought there are 2 ways of getting involved in politics – either having an interest in what’s going on, or having a historical interest in it.
“It’s incredibly important for young people to be politically aware, and university is the best place to have those discussions.
“It’s a much more relaxed environment, plus with Leicester being so diverse it’s very easy to talk to people who have a different opinion to your own.”
