Enders teen in self-harm
Shock mental health storyline praised
EASTENDERS has been praised by mental health charities for a storyline about teenager Amy Mitchell’s self-harming.
Viewers will next week see 14-year-old Amy, played by Ellie Dadd, discovered hurting herself in her bedroom after breaking up with boyfriend Denzel, played by Jaden Ladega.
The schoolboy, also only 14, dumped her after a rumour about them having slept together spread around their school.
Amy’s mental health deteriorates fast and soap fans will learn about her self-harming when Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) walks in on her. In carefully shot scenes, Sam is shown helping the youngster to clean up and apply a plaster.
EastEnders took advice from charities Alumina, Mind and Samaritans to ensure the subject was portrayed as realistically and as sensitively as possible.
Enders boss Chris Clenshaw said: “It was really important for us to explore a storyline focused on Amy’s mental health challenges – the issues she faces impact so many young people and their families across the UK so we hope this will help to raise awareness and to start a conversation amongst viewers.” Mind spokesman Alex Bushill said: “I hope Amy’s story helps highlight that self-harming is all too real, it’s not attention-seeking. There is a mental health crisis in young people, with one in six experiencing a mental health problem.” Jenny Cavendish, of Alumina, said: “We value how sensitively this has been portrayed, expressing the variety of feelings both Amy and those around her experience.”