A debut book by author and journalist Michron Robinson has put renewed focus on the urgency of mental health support in Barbados, with speakers at the book’s launch warning that stigma, weak support systems and policy gaps continue to leave many without help.

Minds Over Matters: Why You Should Never Quit – My Journey on Living with a Mental Health Diagnosis Successfully brought together mental health advocates, family members and supporters at La Cabane, Batts Rock, for an evening of reflection, discussion and encouragement.

Robinson told the audience that the publication was written over nearly a decade and was intended to serve as a source of hope for people facing personal struggles.