30 Days of Mental Health & Addictions Awareness Campaign Questions
Thank you for volunteering to participate in this awareness campaign! It is our hope that by
learning about the experiences of those living with mental illness and/or addiction, the stigma
surrounding these issues in our community will be decreased. We believe that this stigma largely
comes from a lack of understanding in those who have not experienced mental illness or addiction and
that by sharing our experiences we can help others who are struggling.
This campaign involves 30 questions about your experience with mental illness and/or
addiction. Be as open and honest as you can, as your responses will be kept completely confidential,
but please keep in mind that hurtful or stigmatizing responses may be removed from the campaign.
You may answer one question per day, or as many at a time as you like. Once all 30 questions have
been answered, please send the document (with responses numbered accordingly to avoid confusion)
to Nicole at [email protected] with the subject line: 30 Days. If you have any
questions please e-mail or call (902) 620-0000.
1. What mental health and/or addiction issues do you have currently or have you recovered from?
Explain it a little.
2. How did you feel about your mental illness and/or addiction in the beginning? How do you feel
now?
3. What treatment or coping strategies have been most effective for you?
4. What are the pros and cons of living with your mental illness and/or addiction?
5. What do you believe caused your addiction and/or mental health issue? (Biology, environment,
etc.)
6. What is your (brief) family history of mental illness/addiction? What impact has this had on your
own mental health and/or addiction?
7. What triggers or patterns have you noticed about your mental illness and/or addiction? (ie:
certain places, smells, times of day, etc.)
8. What age were you diagnosed at/did you become addicted? At what age do you think your
symptoms/signs began? (You can make a timeline)
9. What are some of the important events in your life, that may have effected your mental
illness(es)/addictions for the worse or better? (You can make a timeline)
10. What is the best thing in regards to your mental illness and/or addiction, if anything?
11. What is the worst thing in regards to your mental illness and/or addiction, if anything?
12. What do you think about your diagnosis/addiction in general? (Some ideas are: stereotypes,
commonalities, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis)
13. What is the easiest thing people could do to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness
and addiction?
14. What stigma(s) have you personally experienced due to your mental illness and/or addiction?
30 Days of Mental Health & Addictions Awareness Campaign Questions
15. How has your life been affected by your mental illness and/or addiction? (Some ideas are:
career, relationships, school, loss of friends & family, high exposure to death/suicide, and might
be positive or negative)
16. How reluctant have you been to tell people about your mental illness and/or addiction? Why?
What would make it easier to tell people?
17. What regrets do you have or what would you change in regards to your mental health and/or
addiction? Explain why.
18. What do you wish people would understand about your mental illness and/or addiction? How
would their understanding this improve your mental health?
19. Have you ever read a self-help book or a book related to psychology? What is your opinion on
them? If you have read them do you have a favorite?
20. Where/what/who do you get your support from? How did you find this support?
21. Many people say stress triggers symptoms/substance use. Do you agree? Why/why not?
22. What is your opinion on medications used to treat mental illness and/or addiction (Ritalin,
Methadone, anti-depressants, Suboxone, etc)? What research have you done on these
medications and how informed do you think you are about them in general? Have you ever felt
judged or stigmatized for being on medication?
23. What is your opinion on therapy for treating mental illness and/or addiction? (It can be any
type, some examples are: group therapy, talk therapy, social skills training, exposure therapy,
ERP, DBT, CBT, ACT, marital counseling, and many more).
24. What is your opinion on alternative treatments or treatments that aren’t commonly used?
(Some examples are: EMDR, hypnotherapy, herbal or vitamin supplements, acupuncture,
massage therapy, art, music, or recreational therapy, ECT, VNS, TMS, DBS).
25. What is your opinion on mandated/forced treatment or evaluation for a mental health and/or
addiction issue? (Legal, psychiatric, or family & friends)
26. How is your day-to-day life affected by your mental illness and/or addiction?
27. Describe a “good day’’.
28. Describe a “bad day”.
29. What are a few of your goals/hopes relating to your mental health and/or addiction?
30. What does “recovery” mean to you? Have you found recovery? How confident are you that you
will find/maintain recovery and what would help increase your confidence?
Thanks for participating in the 30 Days of Mental Health & Addictions Awareness campaign! The
responses from this campaign will be compiled and shared via social media and multiple addiction &
mental health resource sites, but don’t worry – no identifying information (e-mail, etc.) will be shared
and your responses will remain confidential.