How I Advocate For Mental Illness

 Hola,

I don't talk about this often, but I have been a mental health advocate for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for over 11yrs now. You probably don't know what a mental health advocate does or what NAMI is? 

NAMI is the largest grass roots organization for Mental Illness in the States.  They support people with mental illness as well as their families and they have many support groups for different communities that suffer with mental illness.  All their classes and support groups are free.

 My advocacy is done through their “In Our Own Voice (IOOV)” program. We go as a team of two presenters into Mental wards, outpatient facilities, outreach programs, businesses, law firms and major universities to share our mental health journey by discussing "what happened, what helps, and what's next." It's a good format and we have participants ask questions in between each section or sometimes we also have them ask questions at the end. 

I have been moved over the years by the presenters I work with and their recovery, along with the sense that we are eliminating stigma around mental illness. Speaking in the hospital wards can be hard, but for the most part I feel welcomed and appreciated. 

Doing this work for me is moving and I feel I am making my own contribution to end the stigma around mental illness. What I've noticed over the years about my own journey as an IOOV presenter is how my recovery has grown over the years and how I am able to pass on these new ways to navigate PTSD, anxiety and depression. The more presentations I do, the more comfortable I have become speaking to all these different audiences. 

Many times, people will comment about how brave I and the other presenters are by telling our stories, but honestly, I only felt brave the first few times I presented. Now, I feel it's my duty and service to those afflicted with mental illness, their families, social work students, and companies who want to be more helpful to their employees. 

In reality, being brave is having a mental illness and not letting it define you:  still going out and living one’s life fully despite the limitations the illness can have on you. I see that bravery in myself and every presenter I've ever worked with. I like to think a part of that is because we have a home in NAMI, a safe place to be heard, known and regarded as an integral part of society despite ignorance of many people.

There are NAMI offices in every state in the USA and some states have multiple offices. If you or a family member is dealing with mental illness or you have a family member with mental illness and you need support, you can contact NAMI at 1-800-950-6264 and if you are looking for NAMI in your state you can go to www.nami.org.

Love & Peace

Ginamarie

 

PS:  This is info on how NAMI came into being:

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)  began in 1979, founded by mothers Harriet Shetler and Beverly Young in Madison, Wisconsin, frustrated by the lack of support and understanding for their children with serious mental illnesses. It grew from kitchen table talks into a national grassroots movement advocating for awareness, education, and better mental health services for affected families. It became a leading voice, leading to the establishment of Mental Illness Awareness Week by Congress in 1990, and now boasts hundreds of local affiliates providing support and education.