Wednesday 13 July 2022

21 Image Prompts for the Mental Health Blogger

As bloggers, we tend to write first and then look for images to enhance or accompany what we’ve written. While searching for that perfect image I’ve frequently come across pictures which weren’t what I was looking for, but nevertheless spoke to me. I realised that images can serve as blog prompts or inspirations in their own right. With that in mind, I’ve selected 21 images from Unsplash which I feel could be useful as prompts for mental health blog posts.

Each is free to use and the Unsplash licence means no permission is needed to use the images for commercial and non-commercial purposes, although an attribution to the creator is appreciated. I’ve added a few thoughts of my own below each image, but if one moves you in a completely different direction, follow your inspiration!

You’ll find these images and more in my Mental Health Blog Prompts collection at Unsplash, so check back there from time to time for more ideas.


1. Pawel Czerwinski

Image by Pawel Czerwinski | Image details and download links

Loneliness. Isolation. Abandonment. Sadness. Loss. Turning your back on the world. Feeling the world has turned its back on you. Loneliness vs. being on your own.


2. Dustin Belt

Image by Dustin Belt | Image details and download links

Connection. Communication. Support. Keeping in touch. Reaching out for help. Reaching out to help. Crisis and support lines. Who do you reach out to for support, and why?


3. Finn

Image by Finn | Image details and download links

Hiding our true feelings. Putting on a show. Faking it. Asking the right questions. Lifting the mask to reveal who we really are. The walls we construct to keep us safe, and how to let people in when we need to.


4. Sammie Chaffin

Image by Sammie Chaffin | Image details and download links

Friendship. Who are your true friends? Feeling alone even when you are with people. Different views on life. Which of these people do you think is depressed / anxious / suicidal?


5. Nicole Baster

Image by Nicole Baster | Image details and download links

Togetherness. We are in this together. Life gets messy. Art and creativity. What does togetherness mean to you? Community. Belonging. Allyship.


6. charlesdeluvio

Image by charlesdeluvio | Image details and download links

Listening to others. Listening skills. How to hold space for someone. My favourite coffee shop conversations. Looking in on life from the outside. Feeling isolated. Sharing different perspectives on life, mental health, trauma, or challenge. Can men ever truly understand what it’s like for a woman? Can women ever truly understand what it’s like for a man?


7. Vonecia Carswell

Image by Vonecia Carswell | Image details and download links

Friendship. Supporting one another. Solidarity. Security. Who do you have on your team? Three people I know I can count on. New friends and old friends; who do you turn to most?


8. Hello I'm Nik

Image by Hello I'm Nik | Image details and download links

What it’s like to live with anxiety. Positive (or negative) coverage of anxiety or other mental health conditions in movies, TV shows, and on social media. Online resources and support. Review mental health apps you’ve found helpful.


9. Sydney Sims

Image by Sydney Sims | Image details and download links

Positive and negative stereotypes relating to mental illness. Stigma and self-stigma. The things we tell ourselves about who we are, compared to how others see us. The power of labels and language. The words we use affect people, including ourselves, so use them wisely.


10. Keagan Henman

Image by Keagan Henman | Image details and download links

Who are you, really? Men’s mental health. This is what depression (or anxiety, or another mental health condition) looks like. Feeling different. Looking different. Feeling smothered by the expectations of others. Write a personal statement as if you were applying for your ideal job. This is who I am.


11. Nathan McDine

Image by Nathan McDine | Image details and download links

BOYS GET SAD TOO (boysgetsadtoo.com). Men’s mental health. Isolation. Feeling alone. Can fashion help spread positive messages about mental health? Specific challenges facing teenagers and young adults. Mental health services in urban settings compared to in rural communities.


12. Sydney Sims

Image by Sydney Sims | Image details and download links

The masks we wear. Pretending that we’re ok when we’re not. Three reasons your friend or loved one may be hiding the truth from you. Look beyond the smile. Strategies we use to hide our pain and navigate a world that is not always kind to people living with mental illness.


13. hannah grace

Image by hannah grace | Image details and download links

How to blog your truth. Do you tailor your writing for your audience? Are there topics you’d never write about? What are you afraid of? Describe something intensely personal that you’ve blogged about: how did it feel? Do you always tell the truth in your blogging? How important is editing and proofreading to you? Describe your blogging approach or process. What makes a good blogger?


14. Mohammad Metri

Image by Mohammad Metri | Image details and download links

Ten songs that motivate you. What music do you listen to when you are depressed (or manic, or anxious, etc)? Song lyrics that mean a lot to you, and why. Write about a famous artist or musician who lives or lived with mental health issues. Mental health and creativity.


15. Tim Mossholder

Image by Tim Mossholder | Image details and download links

Share your experiences volunteering. What does helping someone mean to you? What is the best way to ask for support if you need it? If you are or have been unemployed, how did it affect your mental health? Is it possible to help people too much? Do you need to be needed by others?


16. James Orr

Image by James Orr | Image details and download links

Just do it (or not). Social pressure to do certain things or behave in certain ways: is it healthy or not? What does success mean to you? Can you be successful and happy? Setting and keeping healthy boundaries.


17. Matthew Ball

Image by Matthew Ball | Image details and download links

Why does mental health matter? What do mental health and mental illness mean to you? Being honest and open about who we are. Is it wise to share about your mental health on social media, with family and friends, at work, etc? Do mental health awareness days and events make any difference?


18. S O C I A L . C U T

Image by S O C I A L . C U T | Image details and download links

Challenging the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. Nature vs. nurture. How much is our mental health affected by genetics and upbringing? Sharing our lived experience to help others. Tell the story of something that happened to you, but write it from a different perspective, or as fiction rather than fact.


19. Maegan Martin

Image by Maegan Martin | Image details and download links

Three books that changed how you feel about mental illness in general or one mental health condition in particular. Invite guest bloggers to share their stories and experiences. Collaborate on a joint post where you compare and contrast your personal stories. How are mental health and stigma presented in books and media? What responsibility do writers and bloggers have to counter stigma and negative attitudes towards mental illness?


20. Jukan Tateisi

Image by Jukan Tateisi | Image details and download links

One step at a time. Baby steps are steps too. Three strategies for breaking major change into manageable steps. How it felt when you started your blog, compared to how far you’ve come. Advice for someone thinking of starting a mental health blog.


21. Jonas Jacobsson

Image by Jonas Jacobsson | Image details and download links

Healthy boundaries for helpful people. How to be there for others without being overwhelmed. Three things that have helped you help yourself or others. Ten things to say (or not say) to someone living with mental illness.


Over to You

I hope you found these ideas interesting and useful. As with my list of 40 Mental Health Blog Topics From the Caring Friend’s Perspective, there’s no need to link back to this article if you decide to use any of these images, though I’d love it if you did! Please do credit the creator if you can.

 

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