For Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), that is.
Last year, it took me by surprise.
But this year, I ordered the materials last month and I got them yesterday. Posters, brochures, bookmarks and wristbands.
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- I am wearing my MIAW wristband. Are you?
I have them on display at the studio now. Some of my fellow team members work in the health field so they took a bunch of them to display at their workplaces too.
There was a time when I would rather die than admit I had a mental illness. There was a time when I thought people would run away from me if they knew. That I would lose my job and nobody would hire me ever again.
But not anymore. I now understand that if I am not open about my illness, I am contributing to perpetuating the stigma. If I don’t feel comfortable talking about mental illness, mine, my children’s, my friend’s, I am only making the paradigm even more rooted in our society.
So I’m wearing the orange MIAW wristband and I’m hoping a lot of people will ask me what it means!
Resources
Related articles
- Mental Illness Awareness Week 2012 (summersolsticemusings.wordpress.com)
- Stigma-The Unhealthiest Word in Mental Health
- No Need for it to be the Elephant in the Room
Summer Solstice Musings 
You go, girly! Say it loud and represent proud. (By the way, until I enlarged that first pic, they looked like mental health awareness condoms. Which was all kinds of weird to me.)
hahahaha I did think the same thing the first time I opened the box. I thought against posting the pic but then I decided to leave it cause it’s funny. And hey, if it makes people look twice, even better ;)
I dint know about this week—so glad you and others were ready!! Wristbands are a great conversation starter; I never found one I liked so my hubby made me one. People ask me about it all the time! Hats off to you for raising awareness and being open about your disease
I wish I had your strength and resolve. You’re too impressive for words.