Humans are storytellers but when it comes to mental health what kind of story are we sharing? In this post, I’d like to discuss why it’s important to share our mental health stories, how to address the fear of revealing your tale, as well as suggest some ways to you can share your story.
Conversations for change
Sharing our stories of mental illness is a positive force for change opening up communication channels with family, friends and even strangers. When we’re authentic and vulnerable, those reading our stories may feel more inclined to open up about their struggles. Someone reading your account may be inspired to share their story too!
The first time I shared a piece of my story; different groups of people began reaching out. Some of these readers were old friends, some were strangers, and some were family members who confided in me that they too had experienced mental illness. These lines of communications are healing for both the reader and the writer!
As human beings, we’re hardwired for storytelling as well as for a deep need to understand the world around us. Unfortunately, when it comes to mental illness and mental health, we have closed off those discussions and instead propagate stigma. Whether it’s out of fear or lack of understanding, we can’t hope for change if we’re not actively engaging in the conversation.
Getting over the fear
Recently I gave a talk to a small group at a local behavioral health services center. The theme of the conversation was ‘Inspiring Hope.’ During the Q&A section of the meeting, one of the members asked me a question that I wasn’t expecting. She asked, “How did you get over the fear of sharing your story?”
How do we get over the fear of sharing our mental health stories? In this climate of stigma where news outlets are reporting on violence and pointing the finger at mental illness are we even safe to share our stories? I would say stigma is why we should share our stories and it motivates me to continue sharing my own.
According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), “approximately 1 in 25 adults in the U.S. – 9.8 million, or 4.0% - experiences a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.” This stat means that someone we know is probably suffering and most likely afraid to reach out. These people deserve to know that they’re not alone and your story can help.
Practical tools to share your story
We live in a unique time when technology allows us to access and share information in the blink of an eye. Many of us walk around with a supercomputer in our pocket and with these devices we can distribute content to millions of people around the world for free. If you feel like you’re ready to share your story with the world, I implore you to investigate what that would look like using your smartphone.
Some ways to get up and running sharing your story might include the following:
- Create a blog using Instagram where you can share your story through both images and words.
- How about a YouTube Channel? Most smartphones record in High Definition that means you could start a high-quality channel today.
- If getting in front of a camera isn’t your thing check out Blogger or WordPress where you could potentially build your website!
Again the tools are available, the need is ever present, and your story matters!
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Originally Published on charlesminguez.com
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