Use Social Media For Social Good

Let’s inspire fellow entrepreneurs and business owners in our social networks to talk about mental health to raise awareness, and crush the stigma around having these conversations. Why do this? An entrepreneur has experienced hushed tones and avoidance when words like "depression" "bipolar" "addiction" etc. were brought up in networking situations. A business colleague has been brushed off with a, "everyone is stressed because of work." And sadly some of the amazing innovators we've read about, admired, and bought into their brands, didn't get support in time to understand the value of their life. By creating this awareness on platforms where people hang on a daily basis, we can encourage our business peers who are still suffering in silence that’s there’s hope, help, and support. There are so many ways to create more social good in this world, here's a starting point.

Here’s How to Co-lead the Effort Together

Sharing your personal narratives and stories about how you manage your mental health, or how you’ve been affected by mental health concerns or how you have shown support to colleagues, family/friends who are affected by mental health concerns. Add your text to a graphic below, post a video, write a blog, record a podcast, whatever works for you. 

Use the hashtag:  #EntrepreneursTalkAboutIt 

You can also add the following hashtags: #mentalhealthmonth  #loveselflovebiz #mentalhealthawareness

Graphics

Use these social media images to help spread awareness that's it's ok for entrepreneurs and business leaders to talk about mental heath. Let's create stigma free workplaces!

Stats

Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiences mental health concerns in a given year.

In a recent study on mental heath and entrepreneurship, nearly half (49%) of the entrepreneurs surveyed reported suffering from at least one form of a mental health condition during their lifetimes.

About one third of entrepreneurs struggle with 2 or more mental illnesses.

Depression is the leading cause of disability in the workplace.

Entrepreneurs are 30% more likely to experience depression than their non-entrepreneurial counterparts.

Depression is estimated to cause 200 million lost workdays each year at a cost to employers of $17 to $44 billion.

Mental Health and Physical Health are interconnected. Individuals living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions.

Loneliness is an emerging workplace concern. 1 in 3 Americans are chronically lonely.

In the US. more women are even more likely than men to attempt suicide, however, men died by suicide 3.54x more often than women. 

More than 90% of people who die by suicide show symptoms of a mental health condition.

Sources:

World Health Organization [WHO]

"Are Entrepreneurs Touched with Fire"[a study by Dr. Michael Freeman and researchers from UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco]

American Society for Suicide Prevention [AFSP]

The Center for Workplace Mental Health [APAF]

National Alliance On Mental Illness [NAMI]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[CDC]

AARP