Resources

Ways to Reduce Stigma and Become a Mental Health Advocate

Begin a discussion with your family, friends, or social network about a mental health topic even if it does not pertain to you specifically. Sharing, liking and commenting on posts directly from the Keep Oregon Well social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.) is a great way to do this!
Forward a mental health-related article to a friend or family member or post links to your social media to spread awareness about emotional health topics to start and keep conversations going.
Read an article on a mental health topic that you have been curious about or are interested in.

Watch a documentary about a mental or behavioral health. There are many TV shows about these issues available, as well.
Call or meet with a trusted friend or family member if you have been feeling down, stressed or anxious and tell them how you are feeling. It can feel difficult to reach out at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. The people in your life who love you will welcome this as a sign of trust and it will facilitate closeness in your most treasured relationships.
If you have a friend or family member who you have been concerned about, call them to see how they are feeling. Listen intently and without judgment. Often times, just being there for someone who is struggling with their mental health is enough to make all the difference in the world!
Write down what your stereotypes, prejudices and potentially discriminatory behaviors are regarding specific mental health issues (e.g. depression, stress, bipolar disorder, addiction, etc.) Looking at our own misconceptions and naming them is the first step toward releasing them.
Ask someone who has openly shared that they have lived with mental health issues what their experience has been like. Chances are good that, since they have already come out about their struggle, your interest will validate the importance of their having told their story. This will be both healing for them, and educational for you.

Read a book about a mental health subject that you have been curious about or are interested in.
Research mental health policies and write a letter to political representatives (members of Congress, senators, mayors, etc.) to educate them about mental health struggles or to offer your opinion on a specific policy. — and be sure to vote! Your voice matters.
Attend a conference or seminar on mental or behavioral healthcare. Education is the key to advocacy. The more you know, the more you can be of service to yourself and to your community.

Join a support group. There are lots of ways to reduce stigma around the struggles we face in our daily lives. Talking with others who are experiencing similar struggles is a great way to break down the internal barriers many of us face.
Be careful of the language you use. Stop using words like “crazy”, “nuts”, “psycho”, or “insane” to describe someone with an emotional issue, or as a put-down or descriptor for a situation. There are ways of politely correcting the use of problematic language with others in your life, as well. Sometimes a bit of awareness is all it takes! This is a great tool for fighting stigma.
Along those same lines, beware of labels. Saying someone is “a schizophrenic” or “an addict” implies their identity is based on their illness or behavioral struggle. Instead, saying “a person living with schizophrenia” or “a person struggling with addiction” shows that they have more to them than their diagnosis. As the saying goes, “Labels are for jars, not people.”
Get involved in supporting a mental health organization – YOU ARE ALREADY DOING THIS ONE. BRAVO!