Bipolar Dream : Why Volunteer for Mentally Ill People?

Volunteering and Mental Illness:

Too often we people with mental illness are treated as if it is impossible for us to be productive in a meaningful way and do a quality job. That unfortunately doesn't happen just in the workplace.

Volunteering is often regarded as an innocent hobby for people like us, who are supposed not to be able to even take care of ourselves and nevertheless in need of "something to do". Even sites for and about mentally ill people often do not demand any quality from their volunteers, perhaps supposing them to be too impaired to be held accountable. However, a mentally ill person CAN be asked for quality, accountability and responsibility.

These volunteers are left "free" to have no experience and no training when dealing with other persons' lives, the important things being considered group member number or not to ever boot anyone from chatrooms. Chatrooms can be run by people with absolutely no clue on how to identify suicidal ideation or how to have a suicidal person connected to a crisis line. That's why volunteers have to get trained and certified over their field of action.

Volunteering with Mental Illness:

Virtual volunteering can be particularly fulfilling when you have a psychiatric disability that makes it difficult for you to get out of your home but are in need of feeling useful despite the illness.

In fact, many people having a mental illness often wish to "be able to volunteer". They often also feel that their mental illness makes them not reliable as a volunteer and therefore are afraid to commit. This is why these kinds of Volunteer Programs have to be flexible, so that you can stop volunteering and then resume your job when you feel better. Degrees of commitment have to be flexible as well. In any moment, you have to be able to give as much as you have to give, and not be asked for more.

Volunteering for Mentally Ill People:

Being a mentally ill volunteer serving other mentally ill persons can be difficult. It can be harder because you can be triggered, as well as you can trigger.

But it can also be very rewarding. If you volunteer for mentally ill people, you'll be able to use your better capability of giving for gaining deeper insight of yourself and your condition. Seeing the illness in another person helps you detaching from your symptoms.

Why volunteer at Bipolar Dream?