In 2025, GAMIAN-Europe delivered a wide-ranging programme of initiatives aimed at strengthening mental and brain health advocacy, improving access to care, and ensuring that people with lived experience remain central to policy, research, and service design across Europe.
Setting the Agenda During Brain Awareness Week 2025
GAMIAN-Europe opened the year with Brain Awareness Week (BAW) 2025, focusing on empowering people with lived experience to take an active role in mental and brain health advocacy. Through the campaign Empowering Patients for Mental and Brain Health Advocacy, the organisation highlighted the importance of health literacy, awareness-raising, and meaningful patient involvement in policymaking.
A central outcome of Brain Awareness Week was the launch of the Mental-Brain Health Advocacy Roadmap. This practical, visually engaging resource provides step-by-step guidance for advocates, with a first focus on engaging policymakers and strengthening coordinated advocacy efforts across Europe.
Exploring the Role of Digital Tools in Schizophrenia Care
Early in the year, GAMIAN-Europe advanced discussions on innovation through its work on Advancing Digital Mental Health Interventions for Schizophrenia.
This initiative included a dedicated webinar and an accompanying report, bringing together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and people with lived experience. The discussions explored the potential of digital tools to support personalised care and early intervention, while also addressing challenges related to accessibility, data protection, and integration into existing mental health systems.
Turning Mental Health Data into Actionable Insight
GAMIAN-Europe later launched the Mental Health Dashboard, a digital platform designed to support data-driven mental health reform across Europe.
The dashboard offers accessible insights into mental health prevalence, stigma, service availability, and workforce capacity across countries. By transforming complex data into clear and usable information, it supports policymakers, advocates, and researchers in identifying gaps, setting priorities, and monitoring progress towards improved mental health outcomes.
Supporting Emotional Well-Being Alongside Cancer Care
As part of European Week Against Cancer 2025, GAMIAN-Europe launched the Mental Health & Cancer Hub, a dedicated platform addressing the psychological and emotional impact of cancer.
The hub brings together resources, lived-experience perspectives, and country-specific service information to support people affected by cancer who may experience anxiety, depression, or emotional distress. By promoting integrated approaches to physical and mental health care, the initiative helps address an area that remains under-recognised across many health systems.
Addressing Suicide Risk Through Healthier Work Environments
Prevention and early intervention remained key priorities throughout the year. On World Suicide Prevention Day, GAMIAN-Europe released the Suicide Prevention in the Workplace Toolkit alongside a dedicated infographic.
The resources highlight the link between workplace stress, mental health challenges, and suicide risk, offering practical guidance for employers, employees, and policymakers. Grounded in lived experience, they aim to support awareness-raising, early identification of risk, and the creation of healthier and more supportive working environments.
Understanding the Mental Health Impact of Migraine
GAMIAN-Europe also hosted a dedicated webinar on Migraine and Mental Health, exploring the two-way relationship between migraine and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. The session is also available to watch on YouTube.
The discussion emphasised the need for holistic, patient-centred care, greater awareness, and improved coordination between neurological and mental health services, while addressing stigma and under-recognition of the psychological burden associated with migraine.
Challenging Mental Health Stigma Through Dialogue and Storytelling
On World Mental Health Day 2025, GAMIAN-Europe launched Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health Conversations.
The initiative focused on reducing discrimination, challenging harmful stereotypes, and promoting social inclusion. By amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and encouraging open dialogue, the project reinforced the importance of respectful language and empathy in improving mental health outcomes and access to care.
Responding to Complex Mental Health Needs with Patient-Centred Solutions
The year concluded with the publication of ‘Patient-Centred Solutions to Addressing Unmet, Complex, and Multiple Mental Health Needs.’
The report highlighted persistent gaps across European mental health systems, including fragmented services, long waiting times, and limited continuity of care. Drawing on lived experience and expert insight, it called for holistic, coordinated, and recovery-oriented approaches that place people at the centre of care design and delivery.
Looking Ahead
Building on the momentum of 2025, GAMIAN-Europe enters 2026 with a renewed focus on strengthening patient-centred mental and brain health systems across Europe. Key priorities include expanding advocacy capacity, further developing data-driven tools such as the Mental Health Dashboard, and deepening collaboration with policymakers, researchers, and civil society partners.
In 2026, GAMIAN-Europe will continue to promote meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in policy development and service design, while advancing work on digital innovation, stigma reduction, suicide prevention, and integrated care for complex and co-occurring conditions. By translating evidence and lived experience into practical solutions, GAMIAN-Europe remains committed to driving sustainable, inclusive, and rights-based mental health reform across Europe.
For more information on GAMIAN-Europe’s ongoing projects and initiatives, please follow its social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube.
If you are new here, feel free to read what we do.