Since my last entry I was at a board retreat. There was a lot of discussion and learning that took place, but there are several key items that really stood out for me during that day. Today, I would like to talk about one of them.
As we all know, there is stigma associated with depression and mental illness. What is one way to help eliminate stigma? Talk about it, of course. But what I heard the other day was a great reminder of a powerful way to talk about mental illness, and I think it is worth repeating here.
Basically, the key is that talking about what is going wrong and what needs to be changed surrounding depression and mental illness is not enough. If we are going to talk about the problems, we also need to talk about the solutions. We realize we have issues, but what are we going to do about it? What are some suggestions or ideas? How can we make it better?
Another piece of this is to talk about depression and mental illness as something that can lead to positive outcomes. We know that people with mental illness can live in recovery and lead lives full of quality and meaning, but I think a lot of people don’t realize this. People need to understand that the solutions we propose can lead to hope and recovery, and that there are positives that can come from the negatives.
These are key concepts to remember when speaking about mental illness. This is even more important when we think that some of us are speaking for those who are unable to. We need to name the problems, propose solutions, and spread a message of hope. Of course this is all easier said than done, but it can go a long way in getting our voices heard.