For World Mental Health Month this October, we really wanted to become more actively involved in shining light on this important issue. With the gentle urging of @garybilbao, who writes often on mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, and the support of our team, we colloborated with Hive Buzz to create a badge to reward content creators on HIVE! Thankyou @arcange for getting this up and running. If you'd like to see what rewards you have already, or the ones you can earn, click here.

Mental Health Month is an event which aims to reduce the discrimination against people living with mental illness and the stigma they endure, whilst promoting positive wellbeing in local and global communities.

On HIVE, we are aware that even the seemingly strongest and most resilient people can be affected by stress, illness and life events - and it can be quite the journey to overcome mental health conditions (challenges). And if it's not us suffering personally,through (notably) anxiety and depression, we will likely know a friend, family member or colleague who is struggling.

The distribution of the MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS badge is a small gesture that rewards those who contribute to the conversation around this important topic.

Why the Lotus?

Symbolically, we see the lotus as the bloom that arises from the muddy waters of discomfort and despair. Like the seed that cracks open in the dark earth, the lotus rises from the mud in all it's beautiful splendour, suggesting there can be a way to live with, if not overcome, anxiety and depression.

How to Get a Mental Health Awareness Badge

We will be distributing these as posts - and bloggers who consistently shine light on mental health awareness - are discovered by our curators. Please use the tag #mentalhealthawareness and post in the Natural Medicine community so we are sure to see them. If you think your post deserves attention and we have missed it, please contact one of our Lotus Curators within the community.

Whilst the amount of times you shine light on mental health issues is a criteria, it is not the only one. A one off, heartfelt and poignant post or a particularly useful article might stand out to our Lotus Curators as being eligible for the badge. If the majority agree, the badge will be distributed.

Earn More Stars

The more you shine light, the more stars you receive!

What to Write About

We can't tell you exactly what to write about, but here is some inspiration. Perhaps some of these topics will pique your interest! Of course, we expect original content - don't just rehash what you read on the internet! We also really appreciate personal stories, although these are not a prerequisite for the badge.

• Start a well being activity in your local community and document it, taking positive action to address mental health issues - for example, a morning tea or a mindfulness session.
• Encourage and invite people to share their journey over a meal or other shared entertainment - host a concert on Discord!
• What is your personal experience with mental health, and what steps have you taken/do you take to manage it?
• How is mental health addressed in your workplace, and/or how could it be managed better?
• Do you believe mental health issues have been sidelined due to the pandemic?
• How might exercise such as jogging or yoga help with depression?
• What are the links between gut health and particular mental health issues?
• What advice would you give to someone who experiences generalised anxiety disorder or any other mental health issue?
• What research or studies or science shines light on mental health? A good one for #steemstem bloggers!
• What food or diet helps or hinders anxiety disorders?
• Is suicide amongst young people more common in these times, and what can be done about it?
• What herbal remedies might assist in the management of mental health issues?

Other Rewards for Shining The Light

• We'll reblog your post to @uplotus and @naturalmedicine
• We'll curate your post and give you part post beneficiary if you are ALSO a delegator to Natural Medicine (we might even tip you, depending on WOW factor and fund availability!)
• We'll share your post on Twitter
• We'll submit your post for OCD curation, as part of the Community Incubation Project organised by @acidyo

We hope you are as excited about this collaboration with Hive Buzz as we are - please reblog, tweet and share this post with your people!

Earn Instantly For Writing Good Natural Health Content

If you would like to earn rewards for sharing your natural health content on www.naturalmedicine.io, you can sign up for a free FREE account by emailing welcome@naturalmedicine.io. Read more about us on our Welcome Page. We support writers sharing about herbalism, TCM, yoga, meditation, vegan and other healthy diets, as well as earth centred practices such as foraging, permaculture and biodynamics.

Please consider delegating to help keep this collective going. For any questions, come ask in our friendly Discord here !