NAMI Blog

"As a NAMI HelpLine volunteer, at the very least I need to listen and be kind; to let callers know I’m not going anywhere, and I’m going to do my very best to figure things out with them."

Peer support is an affordable, accesible option to help people in their recovery. Here are the keys of how to improve your mental health and emotional growth through peer support.

"Working in peer support helped me feel empowered. Not only could sharing my lived experience be a career, but I could also genuinely help people."

"Talking to mental health professionals and receiving various treatments can be an important piece to one’s recovery journey, but there is a special power in talking to others who have been in and through similar situations."

Since the rise of the smartphone, indicators of mental health such as happiness, self-esteem and life satisfaction have decreased while serious mental health issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicide have increased significantly. Here are some tips to reduce screen time. 

Travel can be one of the most incredible experiences for those of us struggling with our mental health. However, it can also be incredibly challenging. Here are a few tips to make it easier. 

Peer support groups not only offer a judgement-free space to connect, they also provide the opportunity to help other participants going through similar struggles. 

"I want to thank you for “getting it” and for still being there for me from afar—to listen, to see past my brain and to recognize the person I am inside that is fighting."

 

Being able to connect with a person who has been through a similar experience can help someone achieve their recovery goals. Learn more about this important piece of first episode psychosis programs from the perspective of someone whose been on both sides of peer support.

Many people in the black community don't seek out mental health care due to cultural stigma that says people should "deal with problems on their own." Read about how Hafeez is attempting to break that barrier.