EastEnders spoilers follow.
Note: This article discusses topics including suicide.
EastEnders has been praised by mental health charity Mind for its special Phil Mitchell episode this week.
In Thursday’ instalment, the soap took viewers away from Walford to highlight Phil’s month spent in the mental health unit, after deciding to accept help for his depression and suicidal thoughts.
He was initially reluctant to join in with the group activities and therapy sessions, but eventually began to open up about his feelings to fellow patient Gaz.
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Phil got a huge wake up call when Gaz attempted to take his own life, amid fears of leaving the unit without any support, and he admitted that he had been hiding from his family.
He decided to engage with the care provided by the hospital before discharging himself – having equipped himself with new tools to deal with his mental health.
Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of leading mental health charity Mind, responded to this special episode and said in a statement: “On-screen portrayals of mental health can drastically shift how we think, feel and behave.
"We urgently need to talk about the state of mental healthcare in the UK, so an entire EastEnders episode dedicated to a story about inpatient care could not be more relevant.
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“Things are pretty bleak for the nation’s mental health right now, so we also need to hear hopeful stories. Good mental health support exists, and it has a huge impact to see it brought to life on screen, so we know what better looks like.”
She continued: “Mind’s media advisory service has worked closely alongside other organisations with the EastEnders team on this episode to help get the story right about what it’s like for men experiencing suicidal feelings and symptoms of psychosis.
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"These experiences are sadly increasingly common, so we need storylines like Phil’s now more than ever.”
There will also be an extra five-minute episode of EastEnders set in the mental health unit, which will be shown during tonight's Comic Relief fundraiser on BBC One.
In the exclusive clip, Phil befriends another patient called Andy, who tells him about his time spent in a homeless youth hostel.
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
