Mental Health Resources

Dear DHB Family and Friends,

The past year has been particularly difficult for many of us and has amplified this country's mental health crisis. Mental health and the stigma around mental health is very personal to me, and something that I've grappled with from a young age. I've also experienced a lot of trauma and loss because of the mental health struggles of friends and family. That's why I'm making mental health advocacy and de-stigmatization a priority for me and my company moving forward.

To start this journey, out team has put together a list of mental health resources and hotlines that we hope will serve as a starting point for healing. This is just the first step of many that we will embark on in 2021 and beyond to address the needs of our community.

I welcome your input and encourage you to please get in touch with me if you or your organization are interested in learning more or partnering with us.

Yours,
Barbara Biddle
Founder, District Hemp Botanicals

Camille’s Brief Mental Health Resource List Jan 2021

Content Warning: Suicide and Crisis

Hey Everyone! My name is Camille and I work at the DC location of District Hemp Botanicals. I have both personal and professional experience with mental health, so I wanted to share a list of some of my favorite and most useful mental health resources.

NAMI HelpLine: 800-950-6264 /nami.org (m-f 10am-6pm est)

National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine, Mental health information and resource line, has resources on many mental health related topics - operators undergo extensive training..

I was an operator at the NAMI HelpLine for most of 2020, they have an extensive list of resources and a wealth of information on all different issues related to mental health. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for or what’s available, give them a call! They can also get you connected with your NAMI affiliate, where you can find local resources.

Support Groups

I am a big fan of support groups because they are one of the most accessible ways to give and receive mental health support. During COVID-19, almost all support groups are online and easy to join with Zoom. and support groups are usually free.

The convenience of an online support group lets you try something new and get extra support outside of a mental health professional’s office. I have heard that support groups can be a great tool for people who are waiting or in-between treatment. In my experience, groups generally function like this: You sign up, register for a convenient time, and join via a platform like Zoom. The person will be prompted to turn on their camera and mic, however you do not need to do so.

I personally like the fly-on-the-wall safety for my first time in a group - this is completely acceptable and the facilitator will mention this. Facilitators will prompt the group with open ended questions like “Does anyone want to start by discussing something that happened this week that they need support with?” or “Can someone share a coping mechanism that worked for them this week?” This structure of a support group is meant for people to give and receive support to help them find new coping mechanisms.

Support Group Central: www.supportgroupscentral.com
Offers virtual support groups on numerous mental health conditions - free or low-cost. Website also offered in Spanish.

SupportGroups.com: https://online.supportgroups.com/ Website featuring 200+ online support groups.

Warmlines

Warmlines are non-crisis, emotional support lines. They are usually open 24/7 and staffed with individuals who have experience with mental health.

*Takes out-of-state calls.

Access Helpline (only residents of DC): 888-793-4357 24/7

Maryland Crisis Line (only residents of maryland): 800-422-0009 24/7

* Anne Adundel County Crisis Warmline: 410-768-5522 24/7

MHA Peer Recovery Warmline of Virginia (only residents of Virginia): 866-400-6428 m-f 9am-9pm, sat-sun 5pm-9pm

* Mental Health Empowerment Project: 800-643-7462 24/7

2nd Floor Youth Helpline (youth ages 10-24 only): 888-222-2228 (call or text) 24/7 *

Crisis Lines

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: (888) 333-2377 / www.afsp.org
Offers referrals to in-person support groups and mental health professionals for those having thoughts of suicide, those who have lost someone to suicide, and those who have attempted suicide; offers resources on loss; suicide prevention information.

Crisis Text Line: Text NAMI to 741741 / www.crisistextline.org
24/7 text support with a trained crisis counselor. (Also offered in UK, Canada, Ireland, South Africa.)

Resources and descriptions from the National NAMI HelpLine’s Resource Directory 2020 and Warmline Directory 2020. For more visit NAMI.org, or call the NAMI HelpLine at 800-950-6264.