Ways to get Involved in the Mental Health Community (Jennifer)

If you want to get involved and make a difference in the mental health community, there are lots of ways for you to do so. Read on to find out different ways to make a difference.

1. Become a NAMI advocate.

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and they have lots of ways to advocate and get involved in the mental health community. Many of them can be done from the comfort of your home. You can find out more about NAMI by visiting their Twitter page, @namiadvocacy.

Speaking of Twitter, here's another way to help the mental health community.

2. Follow mental health non profits on social media.

There are several organizations that are doing great things in the world of mental health. Follow these groups and give their posts a share or retweet. Some of these organizations include Stamp Out Stigma, The Lifeline, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and The Trevor Project.

But you don’t need social media to simply….

3. Be there for someone.

One of the best ways we can help someone with a mental illness is by being there for them. Be a good listener, be supportive, let them know their feelings are valid. And always remember to check in on your loved ones to see how they're doing.

4. Lift someone's spirits.

Leave little notes of encouragement in public places. Paint rocks with positive messages for people to find.

You never know who might see your messages and what joy it might add to their day.

5. Gently correct people who use stigmatizing language
and vow not to use that language yourself.

There are so many stigmas surrounding mental illness and a great way to make a difference in the mental health community is to do your best to stop these stigmas from spreading. If you hear someone making a stigmatizing remark, gently inform and educate them as to how harmful and hurtful those words are.

6. Another wonderful way to share encouragement is
by volunteering for Letters Against Depression.

LAD sends handwritten letters all over the world to those struggling with mental illness. These letters make a world of difference to those who are struggling. If you have the time and you enjoy writing, I highly recommend you go to lettersagainst.org and check out the section on volunteering.

There are many ways to volunteer in the mental health community, and no action is too small. Whether it's educating others about mental illness, volunteering at a mental health event, or listening and supporting a loved one. All of these actions matter.

I'm so thankful for caring people like you who want to make a difference.