Mental Health Month Day 17 – Get Involved
May 17, 2007 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Update! The Naikan Challenge has started! I’m participating, and encourage the rest of you do so, too!
A few days ago, your Mental Health Month tip was to listen to others. Well, you can’t really cross that bridge without a…well, without a bridge, right?
Today, I challenge you to get involved.
Having a mental health illness makes some of us feel ashamed, embarrassed, or as if no one else in the world can possibly related to what we’re going through. Guess what – there are people who can. You just have to get involved.
You can do this in a number of ways.
The Internet is a handy little tool for those people who either don’t feel like leaving the house very often, or who just don’t have the time. If this is the case for you, I suggest joining a message board or email group dedicated to the topic in which you’re interested. For example, I’m bipolar, so I belong to the iVillage Bipolar Disorder message board and the Yahoo! Bipolar World email group.
However, if you want face-to-face interaction there are plenty of options for you, too. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance offers a list of ways to get involved in your community with mental health services, from becoming a grassroots leader to becoming a local advocate. Don’t worry, the also include plenty of information on how to actually do these things!
You can also contact your local hospitals, community mental health centers, and other community centers for information about depression support groups and the sort. If there aren’t any in your area, ask how you can get one started. Be sure to talk with your counselor, therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist about these kinds of groups, too. These people are usually quite up-to-date with the goings-on in your area regarding mental health illnesses.
Remember, getting involved and joining these groups doesn’t mean you have to talk about or share anything you don’t feel comfortable sharing. Sometimes just listening to others is enough to help you better understand mental health disorders.
