Title: Founder and Executive Director
Company: Live Beautiful Now
What prompted you to create Live Beautiful Now?
I thought that if only there was an organization during the time when we were in need and speaking out on Mental Health, I would have seen certain things in a different light. We were not familiar with the definition of a mental health diagnosis. Live Beautiful Now is that voice for the individuals and families living with a mental health condition who feel alone and are in need of support. Live Beautiful Now helps to provide these families with the proper resources, and step by step channels especially in the minority community, where it is a taboo to even speak about it.
What are the 5 biggest misconceptions about being diagnosed with a mental disorder?
1. The very first thought is that the individuals diagnosed are just plain crazy.
2. People fear that they may be hurt during a violent outburst.
3. The community stereotypes them as looking a certain way such as weird, homeless or not an everyday person.
4. Depression is a mental health condition but people do not categorize it like other health conditions and fail to accept it or seek treatment
5. Some individuals categorize themselves negatively and fear being judged or treated differently so many individuals suffer day to day because they are afraid to speak up.
Why do so many Americans go untreated and how can we help to improve these numbers?
The medical cost to an individual with a mental health disorder can be high if left untreated and such conditions can result in unemployment, homelessness, family break ups and even suicide. The first step is to join our efforts in breaking the silence and speaking about mental health and getting the proper education to make sure that these individuals receive the proper health care, doctors and facilities.
How can our readers get involved or help to support your organization?
We are a newly established organization and we would like for everyone to support us by spreading the word about mental health and about who we are. We want to be the Voice for Mental Health and allow individuals to reach out to us and be part of this movement in our minority communities. We are currently seeking individuals for our volunteer program and professionals to help us launch our -Break the Silence network.
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