Out of the Shadows

Stigma thrives in the shadows. We need to bring mental illness into the light.  We need to work together to change minds.

I am a member of NAMI, and I got an email last night that included a link to a brand new documentary about mental illness made by the state of California.    California has an exciting new mental health awareness campaign called  'Each Mind Matters'.  This movement created a wonderful documentary called "A New State of Mind; Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness".   The documentary features mental health consumers and is narrated by Glenn Close who is a family member of a consumer, and a mental health advocate.

This documentary is nearly an hour, but it is well worth your time.   I am not the greatest with technology and I could not get this video to upload directly to my blog.  After about an hour of frustration, I decided that I would just link you to it.  The link will open a new tab on your browser.  You can view the video by clicking here.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank California.   This video was funded by a voter approved Mental Health Services Act, or Prop 63.   Bravo!  Thank you to the taxpayers of California for making a documentary like this possible.   Thank you for highlighting the strength, courage and humanity of people who live with mental illness every day.

This type of message is exactly what it is going to take to improve mental health in the United States.  We can't have a conversation or national dialogue about mental illness until we do something to reduce stigma.   It is hard to have a conversation only in whispers. 

We can't keep expecting mental health to improve without addressing the issue of Stigma.   Statistically, one out of every four people has a mental illness.   Chances are you work, live, and share life with someone who has a mental illness every day.  Wouldn't it be great if they didn't have to deal with that illness in silence? That is my hope!

 

 

 

 

 

And now a message from our life coach cats:

 

 

 

 

You are beautiful just as you are, right now, in this very moment.