How to Express Your Mental Health Advocacy (part 1: while in your jammies)

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So you want to be a mental health advocate. You’re well informed about the issues. You have a passion to make a difference. You want your voice to be heard. You’re ready to take action.

Now what?

How can you express your mental health advocacy?

There are many, many options. There’s even a lot you can do from your couch at home while you’re still in your pajamas. Or there are other options that might require you to be fully dressed and outside your home. In this post, let’s run down the first category (what you can do while still in your jammies), and I’ll also mention an example or two to check out in each category.

1) Facebook

  • Post comments and opinions about mental health topics on your personal Facebook profile.
  • Post links to mental health websites, blogs, videos, podcasts of interest.
  • Start a Facebook “page” focused on some aspect of mental health and/or advocacy.
  • Use Facebook “live” and talk about mental health/advocacy issues. (May want wear your nicer jammies here.)
  • Start a Facebook group to pull together folks with a shared interest in mental health or advocacy.
  • Share or create events in your local area that relate to mental health advocacy.
  • Check out: Rudy Caseres, Kelly Davis, Mental Health Advocates International 

2) X (formerly Twitter)

  • Tweet, retweet, like and comment about mental health/advocacy issues.
  • Follow and communicate with mental health leaders and advocates.
  • Create X (formerly Twitter) lists related to mental health topics and/or advocacy.
  • Search for hashtags like #mentalhealth, #advocacy, #stigma, etc., and retweet relevant content.
  • Check out: My “Mental Health Advocates” X (formerly Twitter) list

3) YouTube

  • Create engaging videos where you talk about mental health/advocacy topics. (Note: You may not want to always appear in your jammies.)
  • Search for and watch mental health-focused videos; then make a public playlist of your favorites.
  • Check out: Miss Anxiety, Psychopaedia Girls 

4) Instagram

  • Follow, like, and comment on other mental health and advocacy-focused accounts.
  • Post pictures from mental health advocacy events you’ve attended.
  • Use the comments to mini-blog about mental health/advocacy issues.
  • Post stories, quotes and videos with mental health/advocacy themes.
  • Check out: Hayden Finch PhD, Hannah Blum

5) Writing

  • Start a mental health blog and write about mental health/advocacy issues that matter to you.
  • Do a guest post on a mental health blog or website and share your views.
  • Comment on mental health articles or posts.
  • Submit an opinion piece or editorial (“op-ed”) about a current mental health issue.
  • Contribute to or develop listserves and chat forums devoted to mental health.
  • Write a print and/or e-book on a mental health topic or your own mental health journey.
  • Check out: Kitt O’Malley, The Mighty

6) Podcasts

  • Search for mental health podcasts on itunes or Google Play.
  • Develop a podcast based on mental health/advocacy topics.
  • Be a guest on an established mental health podcast.
  • Check out: The Psych Central Show, OC87 Recovery Diaries

7) Legislative advocacy

  • Track state or Federal bills related to mental health through online bill tracker sites.
  • Write or call your legislators to express your support or opposition to bills under consideration.
  • Check out: Mental Health America, NAMI

As with any activity, some of these require very little time, effort or money, while others will call for a considerable investment of time, energy, money and other resources. The choices are numerous and the ones you select are ultimately up to you.

In a related post, I’ve reviewed the other major category of mental health advocacy activities, those whose participation generally requires you to be fully dressed and out of the house. Please check it out.

Here’s a question: How have you expressed your mental health advocacy, and what was the outcome? Please leave a comment. Also, please subscribe to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter), “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Finally, if you enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend!