—
Respect and mental health. These are two things that often don’t go together, but should. Calling people weird, different, odd or crazy because they have a mental condition or disease is rude, disgusting and just plain mean.
As we gather together with others during the holiday season we need to be especially vigilant in the way we talk to people and the way we treat people.
Respecting the mental health of others is what we will be talking about Thursday night, December 14 at 9 pm Eastern/6 pm Pacific during our weekly Mental Health & Wellness call (call info is below).
As someone with Asperger’s Syndrome, I deal with a lot of depression and anxiety and those can get turned up past a “10” during the holiday season with all the commercially manufactured merriment and happiness that is shoved down our throats.
It’s a tough time of year for anyone with a mental health issue but there are some things you can do about it.
Assuming you know the person has a condition, first and foremost, treat the person with the mental health issue with respect. We have a mental health issue but chances are, we’re not ignorant.
We generally know when we’re being talked down to or treated like we’re kids and it makes us feel even worse than we did when our conversation started.
If you see us off by ourselves and we make it clear that we need a few minutes (or a bit more) to regroup, get over our panic or whatever is making us need the break, please respect our request.
Don’t raise your voice to us. This is one of my HUGE pet peeves. Being on the spectrum, my brain is on a different wavelength than most. There have been times that I’ve been at gatherings or events and someone has said something to me that I don’t understand.
Typically, I politely explain that I’m high functioning autistic and didn’t understand what was just said and ask if they can explain it in a different way. Saying the same thing 10 decibels higher won’t make me understand.
Well, it will make me understand, just not what the person was saying. It makes me understand that the person I was speaking to wasn’t listening to me.
These are just a few of the things we will be talking about, but we want YOUR input! Please join us Thursday night and join in the conversation. I know you have a lot to add and your two cents goes a long way in helping others.
—
What did you learn from it all that you can share with other readers? (Be sure to include your “AHA!” moment!)
We want to read your point of view. When you’re ready to submit, click one of the colorful boxes, below.
◊♦◊
Thursdays
Mental Health & Wellness
Thursdays at 9 pm Eastern Time/6 pm Pacific
Get together with a group every week to share insights and create real social change about the stigma attached to mental health.
RSVP: Mental Health & Wellness Calls
◊♦◊
The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation—The Conversation No One Else is Having—you will learn all of the ways we support our Writers’ Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and How to Create Social Change.
◊♦◊
Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:
Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.
Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:
- Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
- Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world
- View the website with no ads
- Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
- Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
- Commenting badge.
Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.
If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.
◊♦◊
Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:
◊♦◊
Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:
◊♦◊
Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:
Join our exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” — where community members are encouraged to discuss the issues of the week, get story ideas, meet other members and get known for their ideas? To get the call-in information, either join as a member or wait until you get a post published with us. Here are some examples of what we talk about on the calls.
Want to learn practical skills about how to be a better Writer, Editor or Platform Builder? Want to be a Rising Star in Media? Want to learn how to Create Social Change? We have classes in all of those areas.
While you’re at it, get connected with our social media:
- To join our Facebook Page, go here.
- To sign up for our email newsletter, go here.
- To follow The Good Men Project on Twitter, go here.
◊♦◊
However, you engage with The Good Men Project—you can help lead this conversation about the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Join us!
◊♦◊
We have pioneered the largest worldwide conversation about what it means to be a good man in the 21st century. Your support of our work is inspiring and invaluable.
The Good Men Project is an Amazon.com affiliate. If you shop via THIS LINK, we will get a small commission and you will be supporting our Mission while still getting the quality products you would have purchased, anyway! Thank you for your continued support!
—
Photo credit: Photo courtesy Unsplash
—