How to Advocate for Mental Health
By Michelle Lunger
Mental Health advocacy is more important than ever. The mental health community needs your support- whether or not you have a mental health condition, are struggling or have struggled with your mental health. It is important to help out the mental health community, reduce stigma and raise awareness surrounding mental health and mental health conditions. By doing so, you can help create a safe space to openly talk about mental health, improve access to care and raise more awareness of resources that are out there. You don’t have to make big changes to make an impact or be an advocate. Any way you can help is enough, even if it is just helping yourself and those around you.
Mental health should be important to everyone, just as much physical health. Because regardless if you are struggling or not, you have mental health just like you have physical health. Just because mental health isn’t always visible, doesn’t mean it isn’t real or doesn’t matter. Your mental health matters, how you are feeling matters, and your experiences are valid. You deserve to be seen, heard, accepted, supported, understood. You are not alone.
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Prioritize your own mental health.
It can be hard to be there for others when you are struggling yourself. That is why it is important to prioritize your mental health and well-being while also setting boundaries, with yourself and others. This will give you the space to not only support others, but yourself as well.
Try to speak kindly to yourself, take a break when needed, advocate for your needs, use your support system or try to find one. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to ask for it. We know at times it can be a scary step to take on your own, but it is worthwhile to have an outlet and a safe space to let go. If you go to therapy or see a mental health professional, try to continue or keep in touch with your therapist or provider- even if you are doing well at the moment. It is always good to have support that is easy to reach around the corner. Try to speak with your friends and family regularly, as best as you can when you have the space to. If you are struggling, just know that it is ok (if you feel safe to) to let them know that you are struggling.
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Be there for friends and family with mental health challenges.
Even if your friends and family don’t seem to be going through a tough time, it is important to still let them know that you are here for them whether or not they are struggling. Support doesn’t have to be conditional, you don’t have to wait for your loved ones to come to you. Sometimes it can be hard to be the one that reaches out first, but letting those you love know that you are there for them can make a big difference. If you are struggling as well or don’t have the space to support them at the moment, try to be honest with them. Maybe they can support you too.
Here are some examples of something to say, text, or message: “Hi, I hope you are doing ok. I just wanted to let you know I am here for you if you need anything.” If they do need something, try to ask them “what can I do to support you right now?”, instead of automatically giving advice. To check in, you can say ”Hi I just wanted to check in and see how you are doing.” Or “I’m here for you- to listen and support you.”
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Advocate for public and local policies, government, schools, work, etc.
The mental health community needs advocates, change, and support more than ever. With all the new funding cuts and policy changes, it is important to advocate in any way you can. Whether you go to school and see gaps for mental health support in your school system, work at an office that doesn’t support those with mental health challenges or disabilities, or if locally, you or your community doesn’t have access to the care needed. To see change, sometimes we need to step up, voice our needs, and advocate for ourselves and others in need. It takes continual action to create lasting change. If you want to make a wider-public impact, you can work with an organization (see organizations below) that supports change and advocates towards public policies. Just know if you don’t have the space to help out now, supporting yourself and those around you is enough.
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Donate or get involved with organizations making change.
There are many organizations dedicated to support the mental health community, provide resources, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and advocacy. If you want to be a part of their movement, try to see if they have any job openings, join their community, donate to aid their mission, volunteer, show up to their events, etc. Some nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to helping the mental health community include the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), Active Minds, Mental Health America (MHA) and more (see below).
5. Educate yourself about mental health and mental health conditions.
Try to learn more about mental health conditions and mental health through research, verified sources, reputable organizations, etc. If you are looking to further your education on top of what you have already learned, you can consider taking classes specialized in psychology or try to earn a degree to become a mental health professional yourself. If you don’t want to be in the mental health field, but still want to help make a difference you can take a mental health first aid course. The course will teach you how to help someone who is struggling with their mental health or experiencing a mental health crisis. This course helps you identify, understand, and respond to signs of addictions and mental conditions.
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Keep the conversation going.
Try to open up the conversation surrounding mental health. You can do this by supporting and sharing mental health related content on social media, following mental health related accounts, sharing your own story and experiences to others, and speaking openly about mental health in general to others. Keeping the conversation going can create a safe open space for others to contribute. There shouldn’t be any shame surrounding mental health conversations. The more we openly talk about mental health, the more we can help reduce shame and stigma while letting others know it is ok to talk about mental health and that they are not alone.
Some Organizations Making Change:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The Nation’s largest grassroots organization that helps educate, support, advocate and listen to those affected by mental illness.
To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA)
Nonprofit organization dedicated to support, provide hope, community, and find help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.
American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
A voluntary health organization that supports those affected by suicide through research, education, advocacy, support, community and more. To donate, click the link to be redirected to their website and click the donate button.
The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults by providing them the skills and support they need to thrive.
Active Minds is the largest nonprofit in the United States that works to support youth and young adults in order to transform mental health norms across society through awareness, events, advocacy, outreach, and more.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
The leading national organization that provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders- including depression and bipolar disorder.
Mental Health America is the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to mental health, well-being, and prevention.
The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people.They provide information, education and support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7 year round.
The nation’s leading non-profit recovery advocacy organization that normalizes recovery, supports those affected by addiction and substance abuse, de-stigmatizes addiction, and advocates for change.
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
Thank you for taking the time to learn some ways on how you can become a mental health advocate and make change. Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or anything we should add to the list. Remember, small changes can create big impacts too!
