Mental Health Advocates play a vital role in every community. For individuals living with a mental illness, advocates can be the difference between them feeling alone in the world, and feeling seen, heard, supported, and understood.
In this article:
- What is mental health advocacy?
- What does it mean to be a mental health advocate?
- How to become a mental health advocate
- Act now to support mental health
What is Mental Health Advocacy?
“To be an activist is to speak. To be an advocate is to listen. Society can’t move forward without both.” – Eva Lewis, TedxTalk
We may hear the term “advocacy” and believe that we know what it entails. What if what we think it means isn’t quite accurate? Let’s start on the right foot by looking at the definitions of ally, advocate, and activist, thanks to merriam-webster.com.
Ally:
“one that is associated with another as a helper: a person or group that provides assistance and support in an ongoing effort, activity or struggle.” It continues to elaborate that the term is, “often now used specifically for a person who is not a member of a marginalized or mistreated group, but who expresses or gives support to that group.”
Advocate:
“One that supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group. Advocates are relatively more impactful when they acknowledge and utilize their privilege to engage in controversial situations on behalf of marginalized people and groups who can’t afford to do so in order to make social and political change.”
Mental health advocacy can be exemplified in many ways. Mainly, it’s learning about mental health and then sharing what you’ve learned. This can be done, one piece of information at a time, or, by gathering and reading all of the information that is available, right away.
Advocacy can also include: signing petitions, writing blog posts, and asking government representatives questions. Write letters to these representatives, and meet with them to have discussions about the important issues! This is another great way to participate in advocacy.
Activist:
“a person who uses or supports strong actions (such as public protests) in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue.” In general, activism is more vocal and done more publicly so it can include a panel of speakers coming together, or a group of like-minded individuals joining together to strike, walk, and/or rally.
Advocacy is usually seen as the act of supporting a cause within the system i.e. having more roles “behind the scenes”. Activism, on the other hand, is done in a more public eye. No matter how it is done- spotlight shining or not- what matters most, is that an important decision has been made. It is the decision to actively learn and participate in the discussion about a very important subject. This in itself, is a wonderful way of showing support.
The Importance of Mental Health Advocacy
One of the most important aspects of mental health advocacy is ending the stigma, and the discrimination, surrounding mental health issues. No one should ever feel judged, or silenced; whether it is related to mental health, or not.
When others are able to speak openly about their own mental health, it opens the doors for others to do the same. Simply having it be a topic that can be discussed freely and safely can make all the difference.
It happens far too often- people believe they are the only ones in the world who feel a certain way. Or, they have been afraid of the consequences of speaking openly about their situation. Whether they fear persecution by society as a whole, or by a few individuals, this should not be the reason for anyone to silence themselves. Not while they are struggling, and not for what is causing them to struggle.
Individuals should be able to share the hardships and challenges they face, without feeling ostracized. If even one person shares their story without it causing any negative consequences, it proves that there is a safe place for others to do the same. The effect that this has on a person’s state of mind, is astronomical.
We are not negating the fact that great strides have been made when it comes to what can be discussed in a “civilized” society. We have most definitely progressed from even a decade ago. However, this does not mean that more work shouldn’t be done. There needs to be even more improvement when it comes to the support available to the public.
Information needs to be easily accessible for anyone wishing to learn more about mental health, and the forms of support offered. Yes, there are mandatory Mental Health classes in some schools. However, the keyword in that sentence is “some”. Moving forward, it needs to be a goal to have every school have mental health classes. No child or student should go uneducated about such an important subject.
Who Are Some Mental Health Advocates You Might Know?
It’s always a breath of fresh air to see celebrities using their platforms to stand for something important; whether it’s to raise funds for a cause, or to get a message across.
To be honest, it would probably be shorter to name the celebrities who aren’t living with at least one mental health disorder. However, some celebrities are more transparent than others. The following are just a few celebrities who have been open about their mental health: Chrissy Teigen, James Franco, Selena Gomez, Pete Davidson, Adele, Kid Cudi, Michelle Williams, Demi Lovato, Emma Stone, Wayne Brady… the list goes on.
The people that are equally, (if not more) inspiring, are the ones who may not have their lives constantly in the media. Hailey Hardcastle, Diana Chao, Michelle Oyoo Abiero, Gayathri Ramprasad, and Tyler Smith are just a few of the individuals who are well-known mental health advocates. They’ve used their voices to spread awareness, help the cause, and show support in the best ways they know how to.
For more information about these inspiring advocates, read this article.
Canadian Advocates for Mental Health
Many Canadians have become Mental Health advocates over the years, including actor Jim Carrey, Mark Henick, and Dragon’s Den Jim Treliving (who is on the National Committee for CAMH with his wife Sandi).
Olympian Clara Hughes is a well-known advocate for mental health. In fact, she is the founding spokesperson for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. From March 11 to July 1st, 2014, Hughes rode her bicycle around Canada – over 12,000 km- to bring awareness to the issue. You can watch the full documentary, here. It is insightful and powerful. It does contain interviews with individuals diagnosed with depression. While it’s amazing to bring awareness, it may also hit very close to home in a personal manner. This may be “triggering” depending on the person, so at the very least, please watch it with someone.
What Does it Mean to Be a Mental Health Advocate?
We’ve been mentioning quite a few Mental Health Advocates, but what does it mean to be one? It may seem self-explanatory, but being a mental health advocate means you support and speak about mental health issues.
Advocates, in general, tend to share a few characteristics. A good example of this would be that many advocates are passionate and goal-orientated. They wish to learn and educate others about important issues. For some, the word “advocate” may seem intimidating, as though the shoes would be too big for a citizen to fill. Perhaps they believe they are too quiet or have not achieved what is necessary in order to be advocates. This is a misconception.
It is not necessary to be “loud”. You don’t need to have x amount of rallies under your belt or a degree in a specific type of human science. What is important, however, is to care; to be passionate.
You’ve most likely been an advocate more times in your life than you ever imagined; all the while being unaware you were being one. Have you ever babysat your neighbor’s child while they went to a therapy session? You’ve been an advocate. Have you ever volunteered for a phone helpline? You’ve been an advocate. Have you ever participated in a walk or run to raise funds for a mental health organization? You’ve been an advocate. As the saying goes, “Not all heroes wear capes” and neither do advocates.
If you want to be a more mindful and goal-oriented advocate but don’t know where to start, keep reading!
How Does Advocacy Impact Communities?
We previously mentioned how speaking about mental health opens the doors for others who may be experiencing similar struggles. Perhaps even helping them to be vocal about their own situations. While this may not seem like a big step forward, believe us- it is. This is why mental health advocates play such a large part in their communities. These advocates act as a beacon of hope for those who feel hopeless.
In 2017, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) launched a National Dialogue on mental health. Along with a national committee of leading experts and advocates, they continue to not only bring awareness to communities but also offer support.
The CAMH shares the stories behind the advocates on their site. For example, the story of Jack Hanratty, a rugby coach who has witnessed how suffering has its toll on players. Or, Dr. Madeleine Cole, who has been a crucial element in the quality and availability of care in Nunavut. You can read all about these advocates (there are over 150 of them!), here.
How to Become a Mental Health Advocate
There are several ways of being a mental health advocate. It is extremely important to realize that no act of advocacy is small and no matter how you decide to contribute, you are making a difference. Whether it’s in the life of one individual, or the lives of several, your words and your actions matter.
If you want to become a mental health advocate, here’s how you can get started:
- Support a friend or family member, perhaps accompany them to an appointment or meeting
- Volunteer or support a local organization/ hotline
- Think about reform measures – speak to local leaders on mental health issues
- Educate yourself and your community, help provide information to someone unaware of mental health issues
- Start a social media presence or blog to share your impact and create a safe space
- Listen to someone’s views and concerns
- Explore the Rights and Options available to someone when it concerns their mental health
- Help provide information to someone unaware of mental health issues
What other ways can you become an advocate? Can you think of any? Let us know your ideas!
Act Now to Support Mental Health
Perhaps you don’t have the necessary resources or extra time to volunteer at the moment. Life can be hectic, and it’s understandable if there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Even with a perfectly balanced life, we know unexpected things happen!
You can still have a positive impact on the community, and the world, by supporting organizations that are dedicated to doing the work for a cause. For example, you can donate to the Support Mental Health Fund. It is an easy way to make a positive impact in the community and show your support.
If you have not yet heard of Unite for Change and would like to know more before donating, you can learn more here. There are so many good causes and foundations to support, that you’ll want to help them all. However, don’t feel pressured to do this.
What matters most to these Foundations is that you’ve taken the first step toward learning something. It is impossible to put a price on the value of educating yourself and being a part of the movement to end the stigma surrounding mental health.
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