Wall of Hope If There Were No Stigma to Mental Illness Ted Talk

I like that the speaker, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, opens by asking, how many of you know someone with a mental illness and then goes on to note that very few people in the room acknowledged that they know anyone suffering from a mental illness. With 1 in 5 people experiencing a…

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That is great advice @ekaye ! i wish we knew how to teach that philosophy to everyone, as you are so right that hearing others’ stories can help people feel less alone, but without reviewing credentials, too many users fall victim to online trends for quick fixes that may be unsafe or just unfounded…

Hi Danielle, thank you for your reply! Social media can expose people to a spectrum of content, both good and bad, that can shift how they perceive their own struggles. One thing I think is important to recognize is that social media, or any space that allows people to share their stories about mental health, can be a great tool for…

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This is a really thoughtful response. Thank you @ekaye !

I appreciate that you brought up transparency. It is an ethical responsibility of providers that work with youth and most licensing bodies have standards for school counselors, community counselors, etc that lay out privacy limits that must be shared at the start of the relationship,…

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Thank you for sharing this perspective, @ekaye ! In our second roundtable conversation, we discuss the impact of social media and while, we acknowledge that there are definitely some benefits that come from stories shared on social, we talked a lot about ways that social and technology can be harmful, such as glamorizing harmful trends,…

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When I first began struggling with navigating my mental health, I felt isolated. I felt a lot of pressure to push away some of my feelings in order to continue with my life, but doing so only made my struggles feel more isolating. I hadn’t met anyone who was specifically dealing with the same issues as me, and I felt defeated knowing that…

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Thank you so much for your insights into my post, Danielle! To answer your question about confidentiality and when it becomes a provider’s obligation to involve parents; I think it’s extremely difficult to draw a clean line. On one hand, it is incredibly important for a child to feel that they can come to a provider and honestly express what…

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@clairecho1121 – Thank you so much for this explanation. I love this statement: “healing has become less about ‘getting over’ something and more about
learning how to live with what happened while continuing to move
forward.”

That’s a really healthy management technique, especially when thinking about trauma.

I am also looking forward to…

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Thank you so much Danielle, for taking the time to read my post and for such a thoughtful response.

When I said that healing doesn’t necessarily mean you stop hurting, I mean it doesn’t always mean reaching a point where something no longer hurts. To me, it means reaching a point where the hurt no longer controls how I live. I think some…

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@ekaye – Thank you so much for sharing your perspective. You noted many of the opinions that our Mental Health Ambassadors have been sharing in our Roundtable Discussions which we will be sharing to the site bi-weekly, starting next month.

You narrowed in on one specific concern, the fear of judgement, but you approached it from a unique lens…

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@clairecho1121 – Thank you so much for sharing this. Posting something so deeply personal is another example of allowing yourself to be vulnerable.

You share a sentiment here that I hear so often. Many people are not looking for advice, especially that kind of advice that says “buck up and push through”. There are so many phrases that those…

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I think there are many reasons why people may choose not to engage with mental healthcare, even when care is available. For example, people may not know what resources or financial support are available to them, people may feel they should be able to handle their struggles on their own, or they may come from families or communities where…

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One thing that made me feel supported was surrounding myself with friends and family who understood what it’s like to struggle mentally. It can be incredibly hard to open up when you’re sharing something so vulnerable, only to hear things like “get over it,” “just try harder,” or “you’re too sensitive.” Those responses can make you feel even…

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Every healing journey looks different. Sometimes it’s a major breakthrough. Sometimes it’s a small step forward. And sometimes, simply knowing you’re not alone can make all the difference.

Use this space to share a story, experience, or moment that reminds you healing is possible. It could be about overcoming a challenge, finding…

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Looking back, what kind of support — from family, friends, a professional, or a community — do you wish had been there for you sooner? What would it have changed?

Do you remember a person, a moment, or even a stranger’s small act that helped you believe you mattered? Tell us about what made the difference.

Recovery and healing rarely look like the movie version. What did the real, unglamorous version look like for you — the version nobody put on a poster?

Sometimes one sentence, one image, one note in a song does something the rest of the piece doesn’t. What’s stayed with you from something you’ve read, seen, or heard on the Wall of Hope — and why do you think it stuck?

Why do people choose not engage with mental health care, especially those who need it the most, even when the necessary care exists? Share your personal stories, observations, and any ideas on how to overcome these barriers.