What is a mental health advocate?

Advocacy means getting support from another person to help you express your views and wishes, and to help make sure your voice is heard. Someone who helps you in this way is called your advocate.

Unfortunately, having a mental health problem can sometimes mean that your opinions and ideas are not always taken seriously, or that you are not always offered all the opportunities and choices you would like. This can be difficult to deal with, especially when you need to communicate regularly with health care professionals, or other professionals.

There are lots of different kinds of advocate you could approach, depending on your situation and the kind of support you want. For example:

- You can access a professional advocacy service through some organisations and charities.
- Your friends, family, or carers can act as an advocate for you.
- You can also be an advocate on your own behalf (called self-advocacy).