I need some positivity right now. Where can I find stories of other people like me living well with a mental health condition?
Facing a mental health challenge can be tough, but you are not alone. 1 in 6 young people live with a mental health condition in the United States each year. Sometimes it feels good to hear about others with similar mental health concerns and learn about how they cope. This article will help you find stories of people like you who found help, hope, and healing on their mental health journeys.
NAMI Blog
Many people with different kinds of mental health challenges have shared their stories on the NAMI Blog. You can use the search bar or category list to find stories of people who have similar identities, diagnoses, and/or experiences to you. Here are a few NAMI Blog posts to give you an example:
- Reminding My Younger Self That I’m “More Than Enough”
- Adopting a Cat Helped Me Find Recovery
- What I Wish I Had Known About Borderline Personality Disorder
NAMI YouTube Videos
Visit NAMI’s YouTube channel to see videos of people sharing their experiences with mental health and recovery. Here are some you might want to check out:
- Bullying, Bullets and Trauma: Surviving with Pride
- Overcoming Anxiety | Stories of Hope and Healing: Brittany McGowan
- NAMI On Campus: Fighting for My Mental Health Rights
NAMI Personal Stories
The NAMI Personal Stories webpage includes written stories of people living with a mental health condition or supporting a loved one with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Here are a few examples:
- Finding My Power To Speak Up
- Finding Peace And Recovery Through Fitness
- I Eat French Fries With A Fork
NAMI's Podcast
- Hope Starts with Us - NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. brings important mental health topics to light, one conversation at a time. This podcast contains a mix of informational content and personal stories.
More Places to Find Personal Stories:
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America has a dedicated section for personal stories on their website. You can filter the stories to read about people with similar mental health concerns, experiences, and identities.
- Child Mind Institute’s “You Got This” YouTube playlist contains videos of teens, celebrities, and influencers talking about young peoples’ mental health and sharing messages of empowerment.
- CureSZ Foundation’s Survivors webpage includes stories of people who are living well in recovery with schizophrenia.
- Depression Looks Like Me highlights the stories of LGBTQ+ people who fight mental health stigma by sharing their experiences with depression and mental health recovery.
- Steve Fund #StrengthinSharing webpage highlights the stories of young men of color talking about their experiences with mental health and recovery.
- This is My Brave is a platform where different people use art and creativity to tell their stories and break down mental health stigma.
- WeRNative has a “My Impact” webpage where Native youth share about making an impact in their community. They also talk about mental health, cultural, and/or personal challenges they have faced.
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. EST
Call: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
Text: 62640
Email: helpline@nami.org
Website: www.nami.org/help