Aug 08 2008
Mental Health Humor:5 Questions Fridays, Alicia Sparks
Mental Health Humor : 5 Questions Fridays, Alicia Sparks
Alicia Sparks is a 26-year-old freelance writer and editor living in southern West Virginia, and her mental health advocacy work began in mid-2007 when she became both the writer for Mental Health Notes and the Affiliate Leader for her county’s National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliate group. Her hobbies include spoiling her animals, drinking lots of coffee, drooling over Wentworth Miller, cheering for Dale, Jr., grooving to Dave Matthews…
Chato: Alicia, over the last year you have been working hard on your blog, Mental Health Notes. Tell us what it’s all about and where you see the blog going?
Alicia: Mental Health Notes is a blog geared toward mental health consumers as well as their friends and family members. At MHN, I cover everything from the latest mental health research, legislation, and news to tips for managing symptoms, discussions about medication side effects, and spotlights on other helpful mental health resources, organizations, and websites.
My goal with MHN is to provide mental health consumers and their loved ones with a place where they can learn about and discuss mental health issues. It’s all about advocacy. Mental illness has such a ridiculous stigma attached to it, and I want MHN to be one of the many places consumers can go to know their problems are very real, very treatable, and in no way shameful, degrading, or something to keep quiet about.
Too, even though I’m not a mental health professional, I don’t think it would be time wasted if counselors, psychologists, or even doctors wandered over to find out what’s on consumers’ minds.
Chato: You’re also the Affiliate Leader for your county’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Could you tell us what that is like?
Alicia: “Great!” would be the most inspiring answer, wouldn’t it? And it is great at times. For the past year, I’ve very much enjoyed providing the people in my area with a safe environment where they can learn about mental illness, share their own stories, and find support. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s also very frustrating at times. Due largely to the stigma attached to mental illness, it can be difficult to get people involved. My group is currently working on new ideas for our monthly meetings, and I’ll soon be giving another interview to one of our local news stations to help spread the word about NAMI.
It’s important for any mental health advocate, including a support group leader, to remember that it’s always going to be hard work. Participation and interest will sky rocket at times, and plummet at others. However, even if your efforts help just one person, it’s worth it.
Chato: You are so in touch with the consumers and their needs, it seems like each post on your blog is perfectly written from the consumer’s point of view. How do you have such insight?
Alicia: It’s simple – I have a lot of help! Aside from having been in a consumer’s shoes, I know lots of folks with various mental health issues as well as professionals in the mental health field. Lack of insurance, stigma, being unable to find a doctor who will listen to you, feeling hopeless about every medication you try – I’ve seen it all. When you know the struggles (and even the triumphs) mental health consumers face, providing them with information that’s relevant to them becomes easier.
Too, when you’re a blogger it’s important to “listen” to your readers. I read and respond to all of the comments and emails I get, and sometimes those thoughts from readers spark new post ideas. Listening to my readers helps me know what they want to read about.
Chato: What can you tell us about the NAMI program In Our Own Voice?
Alicia: NAMI’s In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a public education program where both the trained speakers and the audience members talk about living with mental illness. In short, IOOV is designed to give people living with mental illness a platform where they can learn more about and discuss their own experiences with mental illness. It’s meant to educate, as well as show people that they’re not alone, and key points during the program include sharing stories, discussing treatment and coping strategies, and sharing successes, hopes, and dreams.
Presentations can take place at a wide variety of groups, from consumer groups, educators, and students to politicians, law enforcement, and inmates. Because statistics show that one in four people have a diagnosable mental illness during any given year, it only makes sense for everyone to learn about mental illness.
My area’s NAMI affiliate hasn’t yet participated with IOOV, so I can’t speak from personal experience; however, anyone interested in becoming a presenter or scheduling a presentation can learn more at NAMI’s In Our Own Voice Web page.
Chato: Finally, what led you to get involved in mental health advocacy?
Alicia: A mixture of several things, really.
My “online” mental health advocacy work began in May of 2007, when Mental Health Notes launched. When I was approached to write MHN for b5media, Inc., I was ecstatic, because I’d already been looking for a “platform,” so to speak, from which I could share my own experiences.
However, about a month later, and after talking with several mental health consumers and professionals at my area’s local community mental health center, I realized there was a severe shortage of support groups in my area. Those that existed on paper rarely met or weren’t publicized outside of the community mental health center. At that time, I was already somewhat familiar with the DBSA and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), so I did some research and found that NAMI was already active in several parts of my state. I called the Outreach Coordinator (who conveniently lived in my area) to find out how to get a NAMI affiliate going in my county, she invited me to lunch, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Chato: Thank You Alicia for your insights and participation in our 5 questions Friday! You definitely deserve the Arte y Pico Award!
Permission granted for non-profit use by artist: Chato B. Stewart.
^^^ When using this cartoon on your non-profit blog you must link us.^^^
Thanks for dropping by:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com
“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”
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