‘Being normal’: a seemingly innocent term, yet one that is often used cruelly or as an impossible measure for children to live up to as they grow up. For under the premise of ‘normal’, a whole host of behaviours are quashed and criticised, from what you wear to what you say. The endless pursuit of ‘normal’ can in fact be a damaging pursuit.

Of course the whole concept of ‘being normal’ is a fallacy. As a beautiful campaign for Bupa, created by MullenLowe London points out, there are over 7 billion different types of normal in the world. The new campaign, ‘Is it normal?’ focuses on the mental health services Bupa helps to provide, aiming to normalise the process of seeking help.

Its intention is to dismantle the stigma around mental health, to encourage people to feel supported no matter what they’re going through and to remind them that, in reality, there is no one type of normal. With one in four people experiencing mental health issues every year in the UK, the importance of addressing your psychological health as much as your physical health cannot be denied.

As part of the campaign, Bupa has launched a new online mental health hub to provide a source of information, guidance and help to anyone that needs. It will also direct people to other mental health support services such as Mind and Samaritans. The campaign comes as Bupa develops its mental health offering to include cover for more conditions as well as ongoing support for both individuals and families of children affected.

Bupa’s latest campaign is a call to action, not just to raise awareness but to encourage people to take their mental health seriously, and to prioritise getting the help they need.