Mental Health and Storytelling – Important Tips

Thinking of Yourself Make sure your consider your own wellbeing It’s okay to come back to telling your story if you are feeling unwell You have to be ready to share – take your time

Thinking of others Your experience is valid, and valuable. It’s perfectly okay to share experiences with difficult issues, including: –Self-harm –Suicidal thoughts –Eating disorders If you are blogging or talking to the press, remember that you are sharing your story with a wide range of people. Remember: –To think about who might be hearing your story – too much detail may be triggering or difficult to read. –To focus mostly on feelings, and less on behaviours or methods.

Images and alternative pictures Think carefully about any images you want to use in your blog, or in written articles. It’s important to acknowledge and be open about subjects like self-harm, but bear in mind that images of self-harm could be difficult for people to see, particularly if they are feeling unwell themselves. If you are thinking of using images in your blog or are working with a journalist to share your story, why not consider choosing from the gallery that Time to Change has created as part of the ‘Get the Picture’ campaign?

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