Mental Health Matters
Propaganda is a tool that can alter, add to, or shape an opinion and identification. The language and ideas that are presented to an audience must have an appeal that resonates with that specific audience. With that in mind, I selected the topic of mental wellness with a focus on preventing mental illness and encouraging individuals enduring mental illness to speak up and act towards bettering themselves. I chose this topic because I can relate to it personally and have experienced mental illness for a large majority of my life. Similarly, I chose this topic because it is applicable to the lives of billions all around the world. Mental illness has never been focused on as much as it should be due to the internal nature of the diseases. In my personal experience growing up with mental illness, my habits and mental state were often overlooked because the issue had not grown to the level it is at today and there was a lack of awareness towards the illnesses I was enduring. Initially, I felt very alone and unable to ask for help because the pain was not seen by others and therefore not understood by them as well. I remained silent until the problem grew too large to ignore, and that was when I decided I needed to reach out and ask for help. The goal of my propaganda piece is to promote speaking up and receiving help before it is too late, as well as instilling the dire need to prioritize mental health and wellness as a mode of preventing mental illness.
The piece of propaganda I created is titled is an infographic that I designed and created using the application Canva. Canva is a medium in which creators can select a base, whether it is a poster, infographic, resume, etc. and they can edit the piece and add information they desire. I have been exposed to this platform for years, however this summer I used it to create infographics and media for the company I was working with. I chose an infographic as opposed to a poster because it is more information filled, which was the goal of my propaganda; to inform and create awareness. The title of the piece is “Prioritize Mental Health Today to Avoid Mental Illness Tomorrow.” This title is a call to action for the audience, and addresses the general whole, as any individual can be impacted by mental illness. I chose this title because it speaks to the reader indirectly yet presents them with an idea that addresses their needs and seeks to help them. In this piece my audience are those wishing to positively contribute to their mental health, or individuals struggling with mental illness and looking for a sign to ask for help.
I intentionally selected and array of light blues to separate the sections of the infographic because blue comes across and tranquil and appealing to all individuals. Blue is soothing and coincides with the messages presented in the piece. I arranged the piece in a way that displays multiple categories, all of which are prominent and are separated by the different shades of blue. I want the audience to gravitate from one box of information to another harmoniously, therefore the order of the sections plays a large part in how this piece is supposed to read. The first section is titled “What is Mental Health.” I chose to make this the first box that is read in the piece to develop some understanding about what the topic is, as well as providing an explanation that is digestible by all individuals. Similarly, I provided a definition of mental health by the CDC, which ensures that all information is truthful, accurate, and credible. The intention of this piece is to mentally better those who read, therefore I found honesty to be the most important aspect of my propaganda. I followed the definition with an inclusion that states mental health relates to physical health, thus motivating readers to act for the sake of their overall health as opposed to just mental.
The second portion of the infographic is titled “Why is Mental Health Important?” In this section, I address how vital it is to prioritize and care for your mental health, through emphasis on how a healthy mind allows humans to function properly in day-to-day life. I address the needs of individuals in the section, as well as evoking strong emotions through inclusion of the consequences that may meet those who do not consider their mental health. I chose to describe Depression in this section, as it is one of the largest mental illnesses in the world, and unfortunately it has a large impact on the physical body. Many individuals can relate to this disease and may be curious as to how prevention can be instilled, as well as steps to minimize the symptoms of depression. This section immensely encourages readers to prioritize their mental health before it turns into something that could be considered mental illness.
The next section of my piece is called “Mental Illness” and this section breaks down what mental illness is with digestible descriptions and explanations. Many individuals are not truly aware of what mental illness is and the affects it has on many people all over the world, therefore I chose to include a way of recognition. In this portion, I emphasize how common mental illness is all around the world, as a means of making a reader that is enduring mental illness feel less alone yet not targeted. I follow by encouraging readers who are experiencing mental illness to speak up and get the help they need despite feelings of loneliness and unreliability. The goal here is to make people feel less alone, therefore an emotional appeal in which I am begging those who are struggling to reach out is effective. I include the words “every individual is deserving of help,” to evoke strong emotions, whilst declaring that all individuals deserve to feel good and content with the state of their mental well-being.
Following the mental illness section of the propaganda is a section titled “Taking Action Towards Mental Wellness.” This section again addresses the needs of individuals by providing options and ideas that can be applied to their lives to better their minds. I include that all individuals benefit from acting and partaking in tasks that make them feel content and happy with themselves. I emphasize the need to not only prioritize the mind, but I encourage readers to prioritize themselves which creates an initiative to feel good and do so. The last sentence of this section addresses the reader directly, as I explain that the mind is controlled by the individual, the individual is not controlled by the mind. This idea strongly comes across as an emotional appeal that makes individuals struggling feel strong and separate from illness, therefore making them more likely to work to get to a better place.
The last two portions of the piece work to instill the idea that mental illness is common, and therefore should not be ignored or dealt with alone. I include a statistic about the commonality to ensure credibility, whilst emphasizing that help is always available if an individual just comes forward and accepts the idea of help. The last portion sums up the propaganda in a bolded quote that grabs the eye and tells readers to do the things that make them feel good. This is followed by encouragement and reassurance that help is always available if prevention does not work.
In this piece I applied many aspects and tools used in propaganda such as addressing the audience’s needs, appealing to emotions, remaining honest and credible, as well as creating a visually enjoyable experience. I chose to remain preachy, however never forceful or pushy towards readers. I chose digestible information that is thoroughly explained, whilst keeping my language gentle and supportive. I enjoyed creating a propaganda piece that works to help others feel better mentally and physically, however I felt as though it was not my place in some respects. Individuals will do what they want to, and although encouragement helps, I felt as though my words may not be enough in certain cases. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed creating this piece and spreading awareness of mental illness, while inspiring change and help for those enduring.
