Here's
ten easy ways you can help...(This list goes to eleven)
1.Spread the word. Print out some of the fact sheets
on this site or the mpower flyer and post them on a bulletin
board at a coffee shop,
the library, a music store… wherever people might see them. Pass
them out at school events or leave a stack at a community center
or health fair.
2.Fight the stigma.Talk to your friends about mental health. Let them
know you are there to listen. Share your feelings with them, too. If
they have questions, help them find the answers. If they need help, take
it seriously and help them find it.
3.Sign your band. If you are in a band, sign
on your support to mpower Wear
an mpower t-shirt when you play and let your audience know what
mpower is and why you think its important.
4.Share your story. If
you have personal story to tell about having a mental illness or
helping a friend or family member cope with one,
or if you've written a song or done some artwork you are willing
to share, share
it so we can let others know they are not alone
5.Support good policies. Sign on to our petition in support of mental
health insurance parity or go a step further and write your congressperson
and ask them to support parity legislation. Here is a grid of where each
state stands on parity
6.Plan a concert. Have some connections in your local music scene, or,
know a few bands at school? How about planning a battle of the bands
or a benefit concert. You could have a table with information, speakers
talk about their experiences with mental illness, or just have the bands
share some statistics and positive messages.
7.Start a group. Lots of young people have started
social clubs and even support groups at school or in their communities
for their peers
who have a mental illness or who just want to share their troubles
with other people like them. You might be surprised how common
mental health
problems are, and how good it feels to know you're not alone.
8.Thank our supporters.We have a great group of musicians supporting
mpower, as well as corporate sponsors and non-profit partners who are
helping us get the word out. Why not write a supporting artist you admire
and thank them for their dedication to such an important cause.
9.Volunteer.There are lots of ways to support mental health in your
community or school. Work a couple of hours a week for a teen hotline,
call your local mental health association and see if they have a fundraising
event you can help promote, or spend some time in a retirement home or
children's hospital ward just talking and offering support.
10.Take care of yourself. Know the signs of mental health problems,
and if you notice them in yourself or a friend or loved one, get
help.
And don't be afraid or ashamed about it. The more open people are about
mental health, the more comfortable your peers will be seeking help when
they need it.
11.Challenge discrimination. When you see advertisements, television
shows, music videos, comedy acts, anything that perpetuates stereotypes
or hurtful images of people with mental illness, let
whoever is responsible know that it is unacceptable You rarely see physical illnesses
like cancer or heart disease as punchlines or marketing ploys....
people who are affected by mental illness deserve the same respect
and sensitivity.
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