Friends With A Mental Illness
Ranked #16,598 in Healthy Living, #250,352 overall | Donates to Squidoo Charity Fund, Friends of the Park
What A Difference A Friend Makes
This lens seeks to bring attention to folks who suffer with a mental illness and how to be a better friend to them. Its absolute goal is to promote mental-illness awareness, and encourage acceptance and discussion. ...A big thank you to those who have commented on and promoted this lens in any way. My utmost respect to you.
What A Difference A Friend Does Make
Stepping up to the plate
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched a campaign — What A Difference A Friend Makes — to encourage people (especially those 18 to 25 years old — the age group suffering the most and seeking the least health care) to support and encourage their mentally ill friends. What a wonderful idea! Let's do it! Let's educate ourselves and eliminate the stigma of mental illness so that our friends and family who suffer will feel like accepted members of society — and be more likely to seek help. Door Knob
Public Service Announcement Script
Points of Interest
- Real stories
- Real people telling their story — listen or read.
- Share your own story
- Write and send in your own story to share on the site.
- More PSAs
- View or read more Public Service Announcements.
- How to be a friend to someone with a mental illness
- An interactive video offering tips on how you can be a support to your friend.
- Tips to read
- Read of more ways to help a friend.
- Myths and facts
- Just how misunderstood are mental illnesses?
Book Recommendations
Two quality resources for learning more about mental illness
Helping Friends and Family
From past First Lady, Rosalynn Carter
Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers
Amazon Price: $4.95 (as of 02/15/2012)
Reviews
"An important resource for families, friends, and those facing the challenges of mental illness. It delivers its message with warmth, clarity, and candor." -Laurie Flynn, executive director, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
"Family and friends of persons with mental illness will want to turn to Mrs. Carter's book first for empathy, information, and advice. This is an excellent guide." -C. Everett Koop, M.D., former Surgeon General of the United States
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
A Mother's Loss
A biography that "takes you there"
His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina
Amazon Price: $6.67 (as of 02/15/2012)
Reviews:
"A powerful and personal story....His bright light is Danielle Steel's legacy and tribute to her son, as well as haunting depiction of manic-depression." —The Saturday Evening Post
"Danielle Steel has written a spellbinding account of her son 's struggle with bipolar illness....Valuable insights....We come away with a heightened sensitivity that perhaps only a writer of this distinction could convey, of what it is like to try to cope with a child with a severe psychiatric disorder....This is a book about what we can do —as parents, as physicians, as human beings." —Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
"Reading His Bright Light moved me to tears as the memoir captures so vividly the ferocious nature of mental illness....Sharing [Nick's] story will save lives. His Bright Light will make a difference for countless others. —Laurie Flynn, Executive Director, NAMI (The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
My Online Friend
luvmyludwig
I met her at Squidoo through her lens, Two Bears and a Lady, Bipolar Disorder And Me. I support her and applaud her for making her illness public. This girl has strength and courage! I am proud to call her my friend.Covenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately-funded nonprofit agency in North and Central America providing shelter and other services to homeless, runaway and throwaway youth.
Friends With A Mental Illness © 2009 - 2011 GrowWear (MiMi). All Rights Reserved.
Thank you for stopping by and spending time with me. I hope you enjoyed your visit. —MiMi
Comments From Friends
How do you help a friend who suffers? Any tips for friendships? What do you think about the stigma of mental illness?
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whiteskyline
Aug 6, 2011 @ 8:52 am | delete
- This is something I have been around to one extent or other my whole life. My answer to this evolves with time. At present I would say to live as fulfilling life as I may and lead by example.
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Muxlow78
Nov 13, 2010 @ 6:27 am | delete
- A great lens, One of my friends was unfortunatly diagnosed with a mental illness at 18 and had to spend time in hospital due to this, Unfortunatly most of his friends just dissapeared as if they didnt know him. This was due to ignorance and a lack of understanding.
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glockr
Sep 20, 2010 @ 1:10 pm | delete
- Excellent, needed lens. One resource we've found very helpful is the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).
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Wordwinder
Mar 2, 2010 @ 8:36 pm | delete
- The school that my children went to, experimented with letting children with mental illness mingle with the regular ones during lunch and play, though they were taught separately. It has made a lot of difference to the way they (both normal and those not so) have grown up to understand, approach, and deal with this phenomenon and be friendly and caring towards each other.
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GrowWear
Mar 2, 2010 @ 8:50 pm | delete
- That is good to hear. :)
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debbi_b Jan 26, 2010 @ 5:38 am | delete
- Thanks for bringing to light a subject many people refuse to acknowledge. Great lens!
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Sylvestermouse
Jan 3, 2010 @ 12:42 pm | delete
- This is a wonderful lens and an awesome reminder that we need each other. I will definitely check out Covenant House!
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Spook
Dec 1, 2009 @ 3:04 pm | delete
- To have a friend, first one must be a friend. I'm with you here Mimi. Blessed by an Angel.
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Oct 23, 2009 @ 8:09 pm | delete
- Really good lens! 5* and fav, thank you for sharing, really enjoyed reading it.
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BevsPaper
Oct 22, 2009 @ 6:27 am | delete
- It has been several months since I visited this lens. I'll thank you once again for writing about Mental Illness to help people be more aware and with this visit I can now "Bless" it with much love and respect.
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by GrowWear
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