Mental health is often being overlooked by most people and, sometimes, given lesser attention. Little did everyone know that it is as important as their physical well-beings. It is has a wider scope for it includes three of the biggest health factors of a person, such as social, emotional, and psychological. People that are mentally fit are capable of living a happier and fuller life. However, individuals are diagnosed with any mental disorder may have some difficulties in dealing with life, others, and even themselves.
There are many reasons why a person tends to develop a mental disorder. Some of these aspects include biological factors, traumatic experiences, abusive surroundings, family mental illness history, and more. Most people think that those have mental disorders are nothing but trouble, which is a wrong perspective pertaining to the subject. Those that are having mental health problems shouldn’t remain misunderstood; instead people should be educated in order to know the value of this well-being. And with that, everyone will start to view the vulnerable one as treasures that need proper caring and attention.
This type of well-being has been already promoted by a lot of organizations all over the world with an advocacy to raise mental health awareness. In fact, there is already a celebration that aims to break the stigma on mental well-being, which is the Mental Health Awareness Month that is being celebrated every May. There are also many people who become advocates of mental health awareness, some of them knew someone who is fighting a mental disorder while others have experienced the illness firs handedly.
People who were diagnosed with any mental illness have different coping mechanisms. The medicines helps a lot but the way they handle themselves with or without those drugs is a more important aspects. Some turn their sufferings into music while others express their burdens by writing. A great example of the latter is the poetry book called Perfect Flaws by Tim Segrest, which was produced in order for the author to express his thoughts regarding PTSD and other factors of his life through poetry.
Thus, if you want to be more aware about what really mental health is and all things that are under its umbrella, here are some mental health advocate groups that you might want to get to know:
Project Semicolon
This nonprofit organization was founded by Amy Bleuel on the year 2013. It came into existence after the 10th year death anniversary of the founder’s father who died because of suicide. Project Semicolon is also known as “Project ;” with the goal of attaining lower rates of suicide not just in the United States but all around the world. Another objective of this group is to show hope and love to people who are battling with depression, addiction, self-harm, and suicide. They are known form all parts of the globe not just because of their amazing advocacy but also because of how they motivate individuals to tattoo a semicolon on their bodies as means of unity between persons struggling with mental illness or from the grief of someone who died due to suicide.
Active Minds
Alison Malmon founded Active Minds on June 2003 when she was studying in the University of Pennsylvania as a junior. The organization was shaped up by Malmon after she lost her elder brother in 2000 because of suicide. The goal of this nonprofit organization is to raise awareness on mental health and to prevent people from committing their own precious lives. Malmon acts as the executive director of the organization and their headquarters office is located at Washington DC. Furthermore, Active Minds, originally called Open Minds, primarily aim to increase mental health awareness between students of different colleges through friend-to-friend conversation and interaction. As of the moment, they already have over 500 chapters that are consist of international and state academic institutions, particularly high schools and colleges.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI or National Alliance on Mental Illness is the country’s biggest and most popular organization for mental health that aims to shape up better living for the millions of people in America who are suffering with mental illness or who are being impacted by mental illness. It came into existence after a gathering of small family groups in the year 1979, which has grown into the country’s leading advocate of mental health. As of the present times, the National Alliance on Mental Health has over 600 local chapters and 48 State Organizations who are working in the society to boost awareness, give support, and teach lessons, which unfortunately not available from the past for those people in need of it. The core values of NAMI are hope, inclusion, empowerment, compassion, and fairness. They also provide not just awareness and advocacy but also teachings and support to everyone whose lives are being impacted by mental illnesses.
The Damsel’s Files 