National Depression Screening Day - October 9, 2014

Even though the day is set for Depression screening, we want you to be aware that the organizations are set up for a range of mental illness disorder screenings and are setting up in a number of communities.

How can your community help, you ask? Well, I'm so glad you did. Click here. You will find answers to all of your questions and more.

It's time to take action. It's time to step up and get ready. This is the week. Wear Green.  Here are some tips from the NAMI page:

Going Green

Help shine a light on mental illness in your home, online or in your community. This year NAMI is coordinating with hundreds of people, landmarks and organizations across the country to get everyone to “go green.”

Here are all the ways you can show your support!

Online

• Change your Facebook cover photo.
• Make your Facebook/Twitter profile picture green.
• Share information about mental health. Here are some sample posts to get you started
On Twitter:
• What are you doing to educate and reduce #stigma for #MIAW? http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
• “Mental illness is not a partisan issue. It can strike anyone at any time. #MIAW” http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
• “Checking in” on a friend or loved one can go a long way in making a difference in their life, it can help save a life. #MIAW http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
• Almost 50% of children aged 8-15 with a mental illness received no treatment last year. We must do better. #MIAW http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
• Mental Illness affects 1 in 4 American adults. You are not alone in this fight. NAMI is there to help.http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
On Facebook:
• Mental Illness affects 1 in 4 American adults. You are not alone in this fight. NAMI is there to help.http://ow.ly/y6tAJ
• Just signed up for a NAMIWalk! Who wants to join me? http://www.namiwalks.org/
• Strength of Us offers an online community for young people to connect and share information about their experiences with mental health problems http://owl.li/vZH1O
• Participate in an online discussion or chat.
• Connect with NAMI on Facebook and Twitter and see what we have going on.
• Share your story of hope on YANA.
• Spread the word about what you’re doing on Pinterest.

In Your Community

• Join the Green Light Initiative. Across the country, buildings and landmarks are lighting up green to show support and raise awareness for mental health. The green light is meant to start a conversation and inspire hope.
• Utilize connections you may have in your community to get buildings illuminated in your town or city. When in doubt reach out to PR or media departments of organizations or companies or contact local officials.
• Host an event or get together with friends, family or neighbors.
• Hand out or sell green ribbons for people to wear.
• Contact local businesses and government to see about placing green ribbons throughout your community on trees, light posts, columns and in other public spaces.

Make a Statement

• Wear green. Be creative; don’t just limit this to your everyday wardrobe. Wear green shoelaces, a green suit, dye your hair green or paint your fingernails.
• Initiate a "Wear Green Day." Encourage your workplace and friends to pick a day during the month to wear green to spread the word about Mental Illness Awareness Week.
• Wear a green ribbon. Pin it on your shirt or on your bag or backpack.
• Learn about new research, advances in treatments and coping strategies for living with mental illness and share what you find out with your family and friends. There might even be some simple ideas that you can pass along that can be incorporated into an everyday routine.
• Share your story of hope on You Are Not Alone.
• Participate in a NAMIWalk—and wear green!
• Share your photos of your activities using #MIAW on twitter or facebook or submit your pictures to YANA (You are not Alone) or on our Facebook page.

 Learn more by going here

Here is another tip: BLOG about Mental Illness. Get online and tell your story. Spread the word. Spread it far and wide. I've blogged about having Bipolar Disorder for nearly ten years and I won't stop. 

Want to hear something funny? I had a psychiatrist appointment this morning. I usually keep my calendar on my phone with my appointments set with an alarm to tell me when to leave. However, I just bought the iPhone 6 and migrated all of my appointments, a little "glitch" of iPhone 6 doesn't migrate the "alert" setting. So, I wasn't reminded today that I had a psychiatrist appointment. So, I happily went about setting up tomorrow's blog and the next day's blog for Mental Illness Awareness Week, not realizing I was getting later and later for my appointment for my psychiatrist for Bipolar Disorder. Joke on me? NOT! I looked at my computer, saw that it was only 5 minutes until my appointment, I wasn't dressed yet, got on the telephone, called the doctor's office, begged to be fit in, "somehow" and hurriedly dressed, patted my dog goodbye as I tossed him a treat, and rushed out the door. 

How's that for "mental awareness?", eh?