Lets talk about Mental Health Advocacy

Defying Mental Illness Day 2016

Boy, March 19 is a day I will never forget. The unthinkable needed thinking, mulling over, digesting!  Against hope, Chuck dared to believe in hope..

Today, March 19, is a special day for Chuck and I, Chuck especially. It marks 6 years when Chuck was given a clean bill of health about his mental health, much to the surprise of the consultant psychiatrist himself.

It is a day we have started as Defying Mental Illness Day because it was the day Chuck defied mental illness. A day when we took a stand against stigma and discrimination, looked them in the face and became the better of them.

The psychiatrist that discharged Chuck permanently from the mental health system concluded there was nothing to suggest that Chuck was mentally ill. By that time, Chuck had stopped taking his medication for a good while, had not been admitted in a mental hospital for years, and was pretty much getting on with life.

Not to include that a run up of stigma and discrimination at his workplace had preceded this. However, fortunately, the conspiracy worked out in Chuck’s favor because it led to Chuck taking a stand to do something to get his life on track.

And he certainly did. I virtually skipped out of the psychiatrist office that day with the biggest grin on my face; naturally Chuck had the bigger grin. But needless to say, we were of course gliding on sunshine that day.

Few weeks later, I found myself writing a book, Defying the Odds, which got snapped up very quickly by publishers and was on the market not too long after. The book was to mark the start of our (Chuck and I) advocacy with mental illness.

And today, we have founded a Community Interest Company called Defying Mental Illness CIC.

What is advocacy?

• Well, in my own words, it is about creating awareness of something that you believe strongly in, and want to see a change, or some progress.
• It is about being that voice for yourself (self advocacy), and for those you who you are ‘standing for’. Sometimes people are advocates on behalf of their loved ones.
• Advocacy is not about making decisions for the next person.
  There are professional advocates too.

Here are some points to consider in Mental Health Advocacy

• Being a mental health advocate takes bravery. Mental health, or I should say, mental illness, is not the easiest topic to talk about, let alone shout about. People have their ideas, their views, which can often be negative with regards to mental illness. You may even be crticised for what you do. You may even have threats made towards you!
• There are different types of advocates (see our list below of ways of becoming an advocate). There are also professional mental health advocates, as mentioned earlier. Check out for example Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA).
• In reality, everyone should be their own mental health advocate. Everyone has a responsibility towards themselves. A responsibility to educate themselves, to become aware of mental health issues, to put a stop to stigma and discrimination.
• Are mental health advocates experts? A mental health advocate is an ‘expert’ only in the right of their own experience, and no other. There are professional mental health advocates that can help you understand your rights and help you get services. We do not take the place of professional experts, ie. the medical team, the legal team and all the others who are paid to do a job for the help of the people. Mental health advocacy is not about diagnosis or treating. We can discuss these topics but these are not the primary sole source of information to be relied on. It is about pointing others in the direction of help. Mental health advocacy is about empowerment. When we ourselves are empowered, we can empower others.
• Being a mental health advocate is not about being silent. Defying Mental Illness, for example, post regularly on this website with regards to mental health and mental illness issues. We write about things that potentlally have an impact on our mental health in the long run such as bullying, debt, workplace stress and life issues, really. We often get invited to speak at events, conferences, radio, TV and so on. Don’t worry if you think you cannot ‘speak’. Passion is very important in advocacy. If the passion is there, speaking will become a non-issue. Besides, the best speakers are not generally in my opinion, the most eloquent, but those that speak from their heart.
• Being a mental health advocate is about engaging with other advocates as yourself. Advocacy is about TEAM work. Team stands for Together Everyone Achieves More. One advocate cannot do it all. We have to support one another. That way we make lasting and effective impact.
• Find your niche. For us, at Defying Mental Illness, we blog, blog, blog and write, write, write. Our primary tool for advocacy is through the power of the ‘pen’. Every day, we are reaching many people through our blogs, books and materials. We hold events too and also engage in other activities (some listed below) but we are clear about what we do and how we do it. Remember, advocacy is not about competition or about trying to be the next person. Just stay focused. Be comfortable in your calling.
• Commitment is always key. If you want to see a change, you want to make a difference, you going to be committed to the work. With passion too helps!

Here are examples to getting involved in advocacy

• Helping at a local mental health charity shop
• Helping to raise money for mental health chartiable events.
• Joining a support group or forum.
• Writing letters to politicians, decision makers and other people of influence
• Educating others including family and friends!
• Helping the media to portray the right image and beliefs.
• Providing information
• Mediating

Remember, in all you do as a mental health advocate, be balanced. Remember you can be wrong sometimes. Remember there are other points of views that you may not have considered. Remember, advocacy is not all about criticisms, about pointing out the negatives. It is also about finding or suggesting solutions to the negatives.

Advocacy is important. A WHO report said that Advocacy is considered to be one of the eleven areas for action in any mental health policy because of the benefits that it produces for people with mental disorders and their families.

With advocacy, important stakeholders in the mental health system can make informed decisions that will be of benefit to the individuals challenged with mental illness, their families and society as a whole.

Are you a mental health advocate? Send us your details, or follow us on any of our social media like Twitter, and let us know how we can support each other.

About The Author

Zoe

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness. They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness. In the 18th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness. A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS. The consultant was so amazed by Chuck’s astonishing recovery that he even questioned how Chuck was diagnosed with mental illness all those years before, in the first place! Today Chuck is free from medication, its dependency and hospitalizations. Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS, chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey. Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver, clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.

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