When it comes to mental health, sharing stories can help reduce stigma, provide support and offer answers. That's the hope behind a new blog launched on Mental Health America of Lancaster County's website. The organization created its new website, https://mhalancaster.org, in November 2020, and it launched the blog in January.

"A lot of our website is education-based," said Caryn Thompson, marketing coordinator for Mental Health America of Lancaster County. "What we're trying to do with the blog is complement that with personal stories. As far as mental health goes, it's a topic that's not just about facts and figures. We can tell you all the stats in the world, but that is not always going to get our point across. Sometimes, the experience of other people educates just as much."

The blog is being written by in-house writers, including Thompson, but will also be open to community submissions. Categories include educational pieces from people including physicians and counselors, personal stories and a creative category.

For this last category, Thompson emphasized that the blog could include a variety of submissions. "Not everybody connects with words," she explained. "If somebody wants to send in art, like photography or paintings ... we're OK with that, too."

Thompson already has five or six submissions for the blog and said that anyone who is interested in contributing can get help to get started.

"We have a list of topics if you're not sure what to write about," she stated. "We can give you some prompt sentences to give you a boost as a way to start writing. You don't have to keep going on that topic, but it might get your creative juices flowing."

Submissions will be vetted by the organization, and Thompson is hoping to post weekly to the blog.

"When you have people out there in the world telling their personal stories, that helps reduce the stigma surrounding mental health," she remarked. "You can see that here is a human being who is living with this diagnosis, but she is still going to work, still feeding her family, still contributing to society. These personal stories can help other people learn what it's like to live with anxiety or to be bipolar, for example."

Thompson said the blog has a personal connection because she's the mother of a 20-year-old son who has bipolar disorder. She started writing about her experiences as a parent when he was in middle school, and her writing was shared with other parents.

"I know that personal stories can help other people," she stated. "And if personal stories are engaging, people are more likely to read the educational information on our website and more likely to want to learn more."

For more information about submitting material to the blog, readers may contact Thompson at cthompson@mhalancaster.org.