write a speech about mental health

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Speech on Mental Health

In recent years, mental health has become a prime focus for many professionals working in the field of medicine. We are now in an age where the overall performance of an individual depends as much on their mental health as it does on their physical health.

• 10 Lines Speech on Mental Health

Mental health is an important topic that needs to be talked about.

Millions of people are impacted annually by this grave problem.

It is important to have mental health conversations and destigmatize the issue

Talking about mental health can help people identify and understand their own mental health, as well as the mental health of others.

Mental illness has been stigmatized for years and we need to change that.

Mental illness can be caused by many things such as genetics, physical trauma, and social factors.

There are many different types of mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people have started paying more attention to mental health and well being.

Mental health should be given as much importance as physical health.

A healthy mind is necessary to have a healthy body.

200 Words Speech on Mental Health

500 words speech on mental health.

Mental health is a major issue in the world today. It is not a topic that is often discussed, and it can be difficult to know how to deal with it. But mental health is an important thing to discuss because it affects many people and can lead to other problems if left untreated. It’s important to talk about what mental health is, what causes mental health problems, and how you can help someone who has mental health issues.

The first thing that you should know about mental health is that there are many different types of disorders that fall under this category. The most common are depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). You may have heard of some of these before or seen them in the media but there are many more types than just those listed here.

The second thing to know about mental illnesses is what causes them. There are different factors that can cause someone’s brain chemistry to change which could leave a deep impression on one’s life.

Anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background, can have mild to severe mental health issues. A good mental state is crucial for many reasons. It aids us in overcoming difficulties and tensions that we face on a daily basis.

The topic of mental health has to be discussed.. It is an issue that affects people from all walks of life, and it is an issue that needs to be addressed. The stigma surrounding mental health has been present for a long time, and it is still present today. People are afraid to talk about mental illness because they are afraid of what other people will think of them or how they will react.

In the past, people who were dealing with mental health issues were often stigmatized and made to feel ashamed. Mental health is not a disease that's easily understood by the general public. It's something that we're learning more about every day, and it's something we're all responsible for learning about. Mental illness is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength. It takes courage to face your mind and to work on improving your mental health.

Possible Causes | Mental health issues and illness can be caused by a wide variety of things. It can be caused by genetics, trauma, or a combination. Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being, and it is important to take care of it. Some causes of mental health issues are genetic. This means that they are caused by genes passed on from one or both parents to the child. Trauma is also a cause for bad mental health and this could be something that happened in the past or something happening currently in your life such as abuse, bullying, or neglect. Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being and should not be taken lightly.

Taking Care of Mental Well-Being

Here are some points on how to take care of your mental health:

Develop a routine and stick to it. This will help you get into a healthy routine and make your life more manageable.

Practice self-care by doing things that you enjoy such as reading, drawing, writing or going for walks. Self-care can also include taking time off work, getting enough sleep and eating well.

Take care of your mental health by being mindful of what you're feeling - don't ignore it or try to avoid it because this will only worsen it.

You're not the only person who has these feelings and this is not your fault.

Even if you don't feel like going out, it's important that you do so to maintain a sense of normality for yourself.

In conclusion, realise that you are not the only one in this world that is experiencing mental health issues and that there are many things for which you might be grateful for. Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being are all parts of our mental health. It influences how we think, feel, and behave. It also affects how we respond to stress. As a result, it is crucial at every stage of life. You might be able to help the other person who is struggling if you take action for yourself today. Simply keep an eye on your friends to see how they're faring.

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• Speech Writing /

5 Minutes Speech on Technology and Mental Health 

• Updated on  
• May 6, 2024

Technology and Mental Health Speech: Can you live without your smartphone for a minute? You know what your answer is. We are all addicted to our gadgets and it almost seems impossible to live without them.

Technology has overpowered us. On one hand, technology has improved and lessened the workload on our shoulders, but on the other hand, it has become one of the ways to get distracted from work. Checking notifications every minute, worrying about the specifications of recently launched gadgets, and many other activities indicate this addiction. All this dependency somewhere leads to mental unrest as well.

Table of Contents

• 1 Speech on Technology and Mental Health
• 2 10 Lines Speech on Technology and Mental Health
• 3 Paragraph on Technology and Mental Health

Also Read: Essay on Advantages And Disadvantages of Social Media

Speech on Technology and Mental Health

‘Greetings to all teachers and students gathered here. Today, I stand before you to deliver my point of view on the trending topic in society, which is technology and mental health.

As students, we are growing in an environment where technology is slowly and steadily becoming the core of our private lives. Whether it is social media, smartphones, or any electronic amenities, everywhere we are surrounded by a digital panorama. 

So shall we say that these robotics are bringing positive changes to us as well as to the community?

In the first place, advances in medical technology help in better diagnosis and treatment; conversely, telemedicine, robotic surgery, and telehealth help individuals without any geographical boundaries. Patients can easily get access to medical consultations, receive diagnoses, and even undergo surgeries without the physical availability of health consultants. 

However, the same technology that showered these unexpected miracles also has a flip side. The absence of smartphones, and social media, contributes to the feeling of loneliness and social isolation. It is therefore suggested to maintain a balance the virtual and real-world interactions. Engaging with people face-to-face not only helps in quality connection and communication but also contributes positive impacts to healthy mental conditions. 

One major concern about the impact of technology through social media is the constant exposure of carefully selected visuals and refined lifestyles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and likewise. Students need to understand that whatever they are seeing online is not the full picture. 

Another noteworthy issue of the impact of technology is the rise of cyberbullying. Anonymous people by online platforms harm individuals to engage in harmful behaviour. Students should be aware of the potential results of cyberbullying and try to connect with people whom they know well.

Apart from this online mode of communication, the prevalence of gaming and screen time among students is again a crucial area which requires attention. While video games can be entertaining and even educational too, excessive gaming may lead children to sedentary behaviour and lack of physical activity which can negatively impact mental health at last. 

Moreover, the constant gaming and screen time among students also matter as gaming excessiveness may lead to sedentary behavior and a lack of physical activity can negatively impact the mental health of the students. The practice of encouraging outdoor activities and a balanced approach to screen time can help for overall well-being of the students. 

While covering every aspect of the negative effects, how can we forget about the constant notification and overloaded information that keeps on ringing and can students stress and create hurdles in concentration? 

As students, we must learn to utilise the power of digital technology positively. Creating a healthy relationship with technology has a positive impact on mental health. It is important to prioritise self-care, with adequate sleep, physical activity, and maintaining real-world connections. You should remember that taking breaks from the digital world is a strong signal of strength and not weakness. 

In helping the students learn about the drawbacks of technology school can also play an important role. Incorporation of digital literacy and mental health into the curriculum can empower the students to understand digital technology positively. Teachers and parents should keep an open conversation about technology, mental health, and the importance of finding a balance between the two. 

In conclusion, technology and mental health are complex. While technology offers opportunities and conveniences, it also poses challenges that require thoughtful consideration. As a student, you are the architect of the future, and it depends on how you want to handle this digital age which will not only help to shape your future but also the well-being of generations to come. 

Stay connected with technology to enhance knowledge rather than hinder mental health. Do not be afraid to take support whenever need to get out of this addiction after all, everything comes with a boon as well as a bane.

Also Read: Speech on Future of Technology in India

10 Lines Speech on Technology and Mental Health

Here is the short and simple 10-line on technology and mental health. 

• The constant connectivity with overloaded information through various technical gadgets can lead to stress and anxiety.
• As a part of technology, social media also contributes to cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards,s and the omnipresent fear of missing out. 
• The pressure of creating an online persona likes, and comments can also pressure the mental well-being of the individual. 
• It is a difficult task for students to recognize the fake images and lifestyles on social media.
• Excessive screen time on smartphones, tablets, or computers is the source of various mental issues. 
• Long exposure to gadgets and screens, especially before bedtime, disturbs the sleeping pattern of a person and also affects mood as well as mental health. 
• It is seen that students who are addicted to online video games and social media pose a risk to their mental health. 
• Digital detox is necessary to detoxify from the constant stimuli of technology. 
• Students should be encouraged to take periodic breaks from screens and should be engaging more in outdoor activities. 
• Technology can be used to make use of mediate sessions and mental health resources. 

Paragraph on Technology and Mental Health

Spending maximum time on social media and other online platforms can make you feel isolated. Also, constant notifications and pressure to keep one connected can lead to burnout. 

The five ways to improve mental health are as follows: Try to spend more time in the natural environment. Do not isolate yourself. Instead, attend social activities and connect with others. It is suggested to give time to physical activities such as jogging, long walks, and regular exercise. Take complete sleep. Learn to be creative in every small thing you do.

Excessive screen time affects sleeping disturbance and can create strain in the eye. All these disturbances can affect the mental health of a person. 

Yes, technology influences the behaviour of an individual. For example, social media affects self-esteem, and online interaction can impact real-world social skills. 

The five negative effects of science and technology are environmental degradation, privacy breaches, social inequalities, and misuse of user rights and creative common licences.

Related Articles

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Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with educational and informative content expertise. She has hands-on experience in Education, Study Abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and analysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particularly in the education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs related to her field to expand her expertise further. In her personal life, she loves creative writing and aspires to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Say This, Not This: Speaking About Mental Health

Words matter. Language we use in our verbal and written communications can be supportive or hurtful to those impacted by mental health conditions. A few simple changes to the way we communicate can support those living with mental health conditions and help end stigma. A few shifts: we can be more kind and accepting with the things we say, we can stop defining people by their mental health conditions, and we can stop minimizing the experiences of those affected. Here are some examples of what to say — and not to say — about mental health.

Let’s stop defining people by mental health conditions.

Say This: She lives with bipolar disorder; he lives with schizophrenia; my friend lives with OCD. Not This: She’s bipolar; he’s a schizophrenic; my OCD friend.

Let’s be more kind and accepting and stop spreading toxic positivity.

Say This: Your feelings are valid. I’m here to listen. Not This: Good vibes only! Why don’t you focus on the positive?

Say This: What you’re going through is difficult. I’m here for you. Not This: It could be worse. You could try harder to get over it.

Let’s stop minimizing mental health conditions.

Say This: The weather has been unpredictable. Not This: The weather is so bipolar.

Say This: I spent all day cleaning my house. Not This: I was so OCD this weekend, I spent all day cleaning my house.

Say This: I’m having a hard time paying attention. Not This: I’m so ADD right now.

Say This: That’s so surprising/unpredictable. Not This: That’s so crazy/insane/mental.

Say This: That was embarrassing. Not This: It was so embarrassing, I wanted to kill myself!

Say This: I can see you’re having a hard time. I’m here for you. Not This: Just relax.

Let’s reframe the way we speak about suicide.

Say This: He died by suicide or he ended his life; it was an attempted suicide. Not This : He committed suicide; it was an unsuccessful suicide.

— Stef McDonald

Community Voices: Members Share Good Examples of What to Say Select answers to our 30-Second Survey on supportive things to say to someone living with a mental health condition: I’m here to listen. I might not understand fully what you’re going through, but I’m here for you. It’s just like any other condition — diabetes, heart conditions, etc. I know its hard to imagine, but it can get better and there are medications that can make a big difference for you. We are all in this together. I hear you. Stay strong, you belong. Site Logo NAMI California Sacramento, CA T. (916) 567-0163 F. (916) 567-1757 E. [email protected] For NAMI Affiliates For Media Career Opportunities Sign up for our newsletter!

©2020 NAMI California, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Accessibility  

Let's talk about mental health

How are you really, know the facts, think about it, make a difference, real life, real talk, spread the word.

To be able to take care of ourselves, first we need to understand more about mental health.

Check out our  Hi-5 For Health  series to connect with other youth, get tips from experts, join the discussion, and participate in challenges!

On this occasion we are going to talk about  mental health. You can also download these materials in pdf to review them offline and share it with your friends. Click here.  

Did you know that mental health is an important part of everyone’s life? Taking care of our mental health is a journey, there are ups and downs, but we can always take small steps to protect our mental health. Our mental health changes every day but we can prepare for life’s challenges by practicing certain skills for our mental health.

Mental health can also be very misunderstood. There are many ideas and opinions across different communities and cultures that influence the way we think and talk about mental health. Let’s take some time to discuss what mental health really is so that we can inform ourselves and the people around us of the facts.

1. So what exactly is mental health?

Mental health is a part of our health and well-being that enables us to understand our abilities, cope with our day to day life, contribute to our community , build relationships, and shape the world we live in. It can range from feeling well to feeling distressed, and each of us falls somewhere on this spectrum.

No matter where you are, remember: it is important not to judge ourselves when we are going through highs and lows. Accepting ourselves is the first step in building a community where we all feel safe, welcome, and valued.  

2. What does it mean to have positive mental health?

Someone who is experiencing positive mental health can:

• Understand their abilities 
• Deal with the normal stresses of life in a good way 
• Overcome challenges 
• Interact and build relationships with other people 
• Work and study productively 
• Enjoy life and contribute to their community 

3. When is it important to ask for support?

It can feel scary to admit that you need support, but it is a sign of courage and strength.   Here are some signs that you might need help with your mental health:

Finding it hard to get out of bed or feeling tired all the time

Avoiding friends or tasks you need to do

• Losing interest in activities you usually like
• Having trouble concentrating 
• Feeling irritable, lonely, down, or sad most of the day, nearly every day 
• Experiencing any of the above for more than a couple of weeks 

4.  Where can I start if I need help and how can I ask for it?

It’s never too early to ask for help. Asking for help can feel hard, but getting help from other people can positively change your life. You can talk to someone in your community like a counselor, health care worker, or community leader. If this is challenging, try talking first to someone you trust, like maybe a teacher or family member, who can help you reach out for help. You may even find an available helpline that you can call or reach online. It’s especially important to ask for help from a trusted adult if our difficult feelings feel like too much, last a long time, or make it hard to do our daily routine. If you are struggling and don’t know what to say or how to ask for help, try these:

• When you don’t know what you need: “I’m feeling ___________. I’m not sure what to ask for, but I think I need some support. Are you free to talk (day/time)?” 
• When you feel stuck: “I’m struggling. Can we (meet up/talk)? I’d love your help in thinking about some ideas and making a plan.” 
• When you don’t want to talk about it: “I’m in a bad place but I’m also not ready to talk about it. I’d love to do an activity together to distract me.” 
• When you need to feel connected: “Can you call or message me (on date/every day) to make sure I’m doing OK?”

There are professionals who are specifically trained to support you with your mental health. If you feel like you might need professional help, try reaching out to a trusted adult who can guide you. If you aren't sure where to go, try this resource first https://findahelpline.com/    

5.  Understanding myths about mental health can help our communities break the stigma and create ways for starting conversations and getting help.  

Myth: Teenagers don’t deal with poor mental health. They just have mood swings and rebel to get attention.

Fact: Teenagers often have mood swings, but that does not mean that they don’t experience mental health challenges. 

• 14% of the world’s teens experience diagnosed mental health conditions. 
• Among 10-15-year-olds, self-harm is the 5th leading cause of death. 
• Half of all mental health conditions start by the age of 14.

Myth: You only need to take care of your mental health if you have a mental health condition.

Fact: Everyone has mental health and can take active steps to work on their well-being and improve their mental health. Everyone should also take active steps to create habits that help them lead healthy and safe lifestyles. It's not always easy or possible to change our circumstances, but sometimes even small things like making sure we have enough sleep and exercise can make a difference to our mental health.

Myth: A mental health condition is a sign of weakness; if the person were stronger, they would not have this condition. 

Fact: A mental health condition has nothing to do with being weak. It is not something people can choose to have or not have. In fact, realizing that you need help and asking for it requires great strength and courage. Anyone can develop a mental health condition.

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Sometimes you may find yourself somewhere in between experiencing positive mental health and experiencing a mental health condition. Life is tough! Have you ever felt stressed, sad, lonely, afraid, or anxious while balancing school, work, relationships, and regular life challenges? 

When you’re experiencing difficult emotions, who can you talk to?

Some methods of coping can be helpful while others can be harmful. When choosing how to cope, try to think of what's best for you. It can be difficult, but choosing how we cope in times of stress is as important as actively choosing behaviours and habits that can promote our wellbeing. When you’re experiencing difficult emotions, what are 2 ways that you cope?

What is one thing you would change about the way people talk about mental health in your community? Why?

If you see a friend going through a challenging time, what are 2 ways you could support them?

Acknowledging our strengths can be useful for our wellbeing, and for recognizing that, regardless of how we are feeling, we add value to the world. Think about yourself. What are three things that you would consider to be your own strengths?  

Here are some ideas for you to start taking care of your mental health:

A note to yourself

Share a message to your younger self that may have been dealing with difficult feelings. You can do this by writing in your personal journal, telling a loved one about your reflection or sharing it on social media, or take some time to read someone else’s reflection. Turn this into a trend and challenge your friends to think about a message they would share to their younger selves.

Be there for a friend

Take some time to regularly check in on your friends, family, or even a new classmate. If someone expresses a need for more support during a tough time, see how you can be there for them or connect them to the right help.

The Unsent Letter

Take some time to write a letter that you won’t send. It can be to anyone past or present. This exercise might help you achieve clarity, calmness, or confidence. The idea is to get everything out on paper so that you can either address some of the topics in the letter or move on.

Share your opinion

Write and submit an opinion piece on how your community thinks, talks, and acts when it comes to mental health. What would you want to change about this? Why? How? Tell us how you would take action to create a more mental health promoting community!

In these videos, UNICEF Youth Advocates who promote mental health reflect on how they take care of their mental health, how we can promote this issue among young people, and share tips:

Download this information and share with your friends! 

Click here..

The content is this learning module was developed by UNICEF in collaboration with the UNICEF-AstraZeneca Young Health Programme Young Leaders. Learn more about their vision for a healthier future  here . Art by  Vania Dhianisya and  Njung'e Wanjiru .

UNICEF does not endorse any company, product or service.

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C 2019 Voices of Youth. All Rights Reserved. 

How should we talk about mental health?

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Mental health suffers from a major image problem. One in every four people experiences mental health issues — yet more than 40 percent of countries worldwide have no mental health policy. Across the board it seems like we have no idea how to talk about it respectfully and responsibly.

Stigma and discrimination are the two biggest obstacles to a productive public dialogue about mental health; indeed, the problem seems to be largely one of communication. So we asked seven mental health experts: How should we talk about mental health? How can informed and sensitive people do it right – and how can the media do it responsibly?

End the stigma

Easier said than done, of course. Says journalist  Andrew Solomon : “People still think that it’s shameful if they have a mental illness. They think it shows personal weakness. They think it shows a failing. If it’s their children who have mental illness, they think it reflects their failure as parents.” This self-inflicted stigma can make it difficult for people to speak about even their own mental health problems. According to neuroscientist  Sarah Caddick , this is because when someone points to his wrist to tell you it’s broken, you can easily understand the problem, but that’s not the case when the issue is with the three-pound mass hidden inside someone’s skull. “The minute you start talking about your mind, people get very anxious, because we associate that with being who we are, fundamentally with ‘us’ — us as a person, us as an individual, our thoughts, our fears, our hopes, our aspirations, our everything.” Says mental health care advocate  Vikram Patel , “Feeling miserable could in fact be seen as part of you or an extension of your social world, and applying a biomedical label is not always something that everyone with depression, for example, is comfortable with.” Banishing the stigma attached to mental health issues can go a long way to facilitating genuinely useful conversations.

Avoid correlations between criminality and mental illness

People are too quick to dole out judgments on people who experience mental health problems, grouping them together when isolated incidents of violence or crime occur. Says  Caddick , “You get a major incident like Columbine or Virginia Tech and then the media asks, ‘Why didn’t people know that he was bipolar?’ ‘Was he schizophrenic?’ From there, some people think, ‘Well, everybody with bipolar disease is likely to go out and shoot down a whole bunch of people in a school,’ or, ‘People who are schizophrenics shouldn’t be out on the street.’”  Solomon  agrees that this correlation works against a productive conversation about mental health: “The tendency to connect people’s crimes to mental illness diagnoses that are not in fact associated with criminality needs to go away. ‘This person murdered everyone because he was depressed.’ You think, yes, you could sort of indicate here this person was depressed and he murdered everyone, but most people who are depressed do not murder everyone.”

But do correlate more between mental illness and suicide

According to the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), 90 percent of people who die by suicide have depression or other mental disorders, or substance-abuse disorders in conjunction with other mental disorders. Yet we don’t give this link its due. Says  Solomon , “Just as the association between mental illness and crime is too strong, the connection between mental illness and suicide is too weak. So I feel like what I constantly read in the articles is that ‘so-and-so killed himself because his business had gone bankrupt and his wife had left him.’ And I think, okay, those were the triggering circumstances, but he killed himself because he suffered from a mental illness that drove him to kill himself. He was terribly depressed.”

Avoid words like “crazy” or “psycho”

Not surprisingly, nearly all the mental health experts we consulted were quick to decry playground slang like “mental,” “schizo,” “crazy,” “loonie,” or “nutter,” stigmatizing words that become embedded in people’s minds from a young age. NIMH Director  Thomas Insel  takes that one step further — he doesn’t like the category of “mental health problems” in general. He says, “Should we call cancer a ‘cell cycle problem’? Calling serious mental illness a ‘behavioral health problem’ is like calling cancer a ‘pain problem.’” Comedian  Ruby Wax , however, has a different point of view: “I call people that are mentally disturbed, you know, I say they’re crazy. I think in the right tone, that’s not the problem. Let’s not get caught in the minutiae of it.”

If you feel comfortable talking about your own experience with mental health, by all means, do so

Self-advocacy can be very powerful. It reaches people who are going through similar experiences as well as the general public.  Solomon  believes that people equipped to share their experiences should do so: “The most moving letter I ever received in a way was one that was only a sentence long, and it came from someone who didn’t sign his name. He just wrote me a postcard and said, ‘I was going to kill myself, but I read your book and changed my mind.’ And really, I thought, okay, if nobody else ever reads anything I’ve written, I’ve done some good in the world. It’s very important just to keep writing about these things, because I think there’s a trickle-down effect, and that the vocabulary that goes into serious books actually makes its way into the common experience — at least a little bit of it does — and makes it easier to talk about all of these things.”  Solomon ,  Wax , as well as  Temple Grandin , below, have all become public figures for mental health advocacy through sharing their own experiences.

Don’t define a person by his/her mental illnesses

Just as a tumor need not define a person, the same goes for mental illness. Although the line between mental health and the “rest” of a person is somewhat blurry, experts say the distinction is necessary. Says  Insel : “We need to talk about mental disorders the way we talk about other medical disorders. We generally don’t let having a medical illness define a person’s identity, yet we are very cautious about revealing mental illness because it will somehow define a person’s competence or even suggest dangerousness.”  Caddick  agrees: “There’s a lot of things that go on in the brain, and just because one thing goes wrong doesn’t mean that everything’s going wrong.”

Separate the person from the problem

Continuing from the last,  Insel  and  Patel  both recommend avoiding language that identifies people only by their mental health problems. Says  Insel , speak of “someone with schizophrenia,” not “the schizophrenic.” (Although, he points out, people with autism do often ask to be referred to as “autistic.”) Making this distinction clear, says  Patel , honors and respects the individual. “What you’re really saying is, this is something that’s not part of a person; it’s something the person is suffering from or is living with, and it’s a different thing from the person.”

Sometimes the problem isn’t that we’re using the wrong words, but that we’re not talking at all

Sometimes it just starts with speaking up. In  Solomon’s  words: “Wittgenstein said, ‘All I know is what I have words for.’ And I think that if you don’t have the words for it, you can’t explain to somebody else what your need is. To some degree, you can’t even explain to yourself what your need is. And so you can’t get better.” But, as suicide prevention advocate  Chris Le  knows well, there are challenges to talking about suicide and depression. Organizations aiming to raise awareness about depression and suicide have to wrangle with suicide contagion, or copycat suicides that can be sparked by media attention, especially in young people. Le, though, feels strongly that promoting dialogue ultimately helps. One simple solution, he says, is to keep it personal: “Reach out to your friends. If you’re down, talk to somebody, because remember that one time that your friend was down, and you talked to them, and they felt a little better? So reach out, support people, talk about your emotions and get comfortable with them.”

Recognize the amazing contributions of people with mental health differences

Says autism activist  Temple Grandin : “If it weren’t for a little bit of autism, we wouldn’t have any phones to talk on.” She describes the tech community as filled with autistic pioneers. “Einstein definitely was; he had no language until age three. How about Steve Jobs? I’ll only mention the dead ones by name. The live ones, you’ll have to look them up on the Internet.” Of depression, Grandin says: “The organizations involved with depression need to be emphasizing how many really creative people, people whose books we love, whose movies we love, their arts, have had a lot of problems with depression. See, a little bit of those genetics makes you sensitive, makes you emotional, makes you sensitive — and that makes you creative in a certain way.”

Humor helps

Humor, some say, is the best medicine for your brain. Says comedian  Wax : “If you surround [your message] with comedy, you have an entrée into their psyche. People love novelty, so for me it’s sort of foreplay: I’m softening them up, and then you can deliver as dark as you want. But if you whine, if you whine about being a woman or being black, good luck. Everybody smells it. But it’s true. People are liberated by laughing at themselves.”

Featured illustration via iStockphoto.

About the author

Thu-Huong Ha is a freelance writer. Previously she was the books and culture reporter for Quartz and the context editor at TED. Her writing has also appeared on Slate and in The New York Times Book Review. Her debut novel, Hail Caesar, was published in 2007 by PUSH, a YA imprint of Scholastic, and was named an NYPL Book for the Teen Age. Follow her at twitter.com/thu

• Andrew Solomon
• Editor's picks
• How should we talk about?
• mental health
• mental illness
• questions worth asking
• Sarah Caddick
• Temple Grandin
• Thomas Insel
• Vikram Patel

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How to Talk About Mental Health

Mental health is essential to a person’s life in the same way as physical health. Hesitation to talk about mental health adds to the notion that the topic is taboo. It is important to normalize conversations surrounding mental health so people can feel empowered to seek the help they need. The following resources can help you feel more informed to talk about mental health with the people in your life who may need your support.

For People with Mental Health Problems If you have, or believe you may have, a mental health problem, it is helpful to talk about these issues with others. Learn more about building a strong support system and developing a recovery plan.

For Young People Looking for Help Mental health problems don't only affect adults. Children, teenagers, and young adults can also have mental health problems.

For Parents and Caregivers It can be hard to talk to your child, dependent, or person you are caring for about mental health problems. Get tips for starting the conversation.

For Friends and Family Members Anyone can experience mental health problems. Friends and family members can make all the difference in a person’s recovery process. Learn how to support your friends and loved ones as they look for help with their mental health problems.

For Educators Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems. Find out about mental health problems, what you can do, and how to develop effective strategies to meet the mental health needs of your students.

For Community and Faith Leaders Before they turn to a health care professional, many people may turn to community and faith leaders when facing mental health problems or traumatic events. Learn how to support mental health in your community.

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