Ditch the Monkey - Be Aware

Animation to help cure depression. Ireland is climbing up the animation ladder, slowly but surely.With world-class efforts such as the short "Coda," which has been winning awards left and right, the Emerald Isle is making a lot of people happy these days.

And that's kind of the goal of the Irish site SpunOut.ie, which just recently launched ‘Ditch the Monkey,’ a five-part animation series that encourages people to let go of any negative thoughts that might be holding them back from living a happy, healthy life. This was done in conjunction with the Irish National Office for Suicide Prevention.

I know what you are probably thinking, "OMG, he's talking about suicide, I gotta get out of here." Well, do what's right for you. However, this is a serious effort to tackle a serious problem, and you don't have to be Irish to benefit. It also serves the synergistic purpose of supporting the fledgling Irish animation industry.

Eoin Duffy co-wrote and animated the series. Each episode of ‘Ditch the Monkey’ centers on one of five ‘ways to wellness’: contribute, accept, be healthy, connect and be aware. The video at the top is the "Be Aware" video. They are short, sweet and to the point. The series is being shown in Irish cinema to reach a broad cross-section of young people, and a special app, MiYo, is available for download. There also is a free book, "The Spunout.ie Survival Guide to Life," to help 16 – 20-year-olds with the issues of mental health problems, exam stress, finding a job, sexual health, bullying, and relationships.

This is part of our effort to show the broad scope of animation these days, which touches entertainment, science, news, mental health, and many other fields.

2020