June is Men's Mental Health Month and it's time to step up and do something about the issue. But how can you teach your men that they need to pay attention to their mental health? It can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. As long as you follow some simple guidelines that are geared towards reaching out, educating, and supporting your male students, you'll be on the right track. With these tools in hand (or downloaded) take this month as an opportunity for your school or organization to show support for men of all ages! You'll find links below on how best to use this month-long campaign for change.
1. Create and Share an Event for Social Media
For most men, the first step toward getting help for mental health issues is just admitting that there's a problem in the first place. For some guys that can be very difficult and sharing an event on social media might be what they need to get started. Use this Mental Health Month Event Calendar from the National Council For Behavioral Health to share both a petition and awareness campaign so you're hitting multiple platforms with one event.
2. Run a Mental Health Challenge
A mental health challenge is a great way to get your organization talking, sharing, and caring about mental health. You can run the challenge throughout June or just on one specific day. The Mental Health Awareness Challenge from the American Foundation of Counseling Services is a great place to start and they offer multiple resources that you can use in the classroom and around your campus.
3. Share Infographics & Statistics
Share as many mental health statistics as you can during Men's Mental Health Month. The more you're able to share, the more likely students are to take note of the issue. Along with sharing statistics and facts, remind students that these numbers and stories are real. Each statistic represents a person, who might be just like them, struggling with a mental health challenge.
4. Change Your Lock Screen Image
If you're looking for a great visual reminder to keep your mind healthy throughout June, change your lock screen image to this one shared by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration). You can have it serve as an awesome desktop wallpaper for the month too! Just right click and save this image below:
5. Share Information Through Class Activities
Your students are most engaged when they're actively taking part in the learning process. Instead of just handing out a handout during class, set up an activity that promotes mental health awareness for your class. Discuss the reasons why men don't seek help from the Huffington Post article, What Men Really Think About Mental Health (and What We Should Do About It).
What do I need to do?
Start by sharing information on social media and start a Mental Health Month Event and just keep moving the conversation forward. Create a Facebook Event or Google+ Event (if your organization uses g-suite) and promote it through social media. If you find that Facebook, Twitter, or other social media isn't working for you then create a website using Squarespace (or Blogger if your school uses that platform).
That's a lot of information! How can I possibly use all of this during my entire month?
Set up a goal for your organization, school, or team to reach during Mental Health Month. Whether you want to reach 3,000 people on social media, promote awareness about mental health for the entire school community, or just get some general awareness going throughout your organization you should be able to find ideas that fit your goals and needs.
What should I do if my company doesn't offer this kind of opportunity to give back?
That's a great question! I've been in those situations myself and some things you can try are just using your own social media accounts to get the word out. You can also reach out to other organisations for help. Find a local shelter, support group, or mental health association and see if they're looking for help. If so, you might be able to join forces with them and share each other's information as well.
Conclusion
Mental Health Month is a perfect opportunity to get your students engaged in a cause that's important to them. They're going to be talking about this month for the rest of the school year. Make sure you schedule some time for them to talk about their experiences with mental health issues and what they've learned throughout June. The more opportunities you give them to process their feelings the better!
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