Advocating for Better Mental Health
David Susman, PhD
We all know how critically important help, support and encouragement are if you’re recovering from a physical or mental health issue or addiction. But it’s really hard to ask for help because of fear, shame, guilt, anxiety, and a host of other challenges and barriers. If you’ve ever wanted to reach out for help and support with your recovery but you weren’t sure what to say, here are some ideas to help you get started, in the form of a …
Stories of Hope: An Interview with Aidan O’Connell This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Aidan O’Connell about his history of mental health challenges and about some of his current advocacy work. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? AO: My mental health difficulties …
If you’re somewhat health conscious, you may have decided to opt for food or beverage choices that are sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free or caffeine-free. Or perhaps you have achieved the admirable goal of becoming drug-free, smoke-free or even debt-free. But have you ever considered becoming stigma-free? If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know I’ve written a fair amount on the issue of the many negative effects of stigma related to mental illness and several simple but effective ways …
Stories of Hope: An Interview with Dave Wise This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Dave Wise about his history of mental health challenges and about some of his current advocacy work. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? DW: I first became aware …