Top 3 YouTube Channels For Mental Health Info & Support

With so much information floating around out there, where should you turn? If you're like me, YouTube is one of the first places to find more info on a diagnosis. It was the first place I turned to after mine. In years past, I used to use it to learn how to fix things around the house, how to work on cars, and even entertainment. It never crossed my mind I would someday use it to research what bipolar 1 was, along with all the other new terminology that came along with it. Here are my personal Top 3, for a handful of reasons explained below.

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1.       NAMI | National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is considered the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. They cover a ton of ground, not just bipolar.

With well over 400 videos and almost 17k subscribers, NAMI's channel is one of the most extensive I've found to date. They've done an excellent job sorting videos into playlists, so finding what you need is pretty straightforward.

They also boast more than 600 NAMI state organizations and affiliates, which means there might be a physical location near you where you can get help and educational resources. You can find locations directly from their homepage HERE.

From Their YouTube Channel Description:

NAMI was “Started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 and has blossomed into the nations leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and 48 State Organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Follow our social media platforms and website for information, and support about living with a mental health condition. If you need immediate assistance, please call our Help Line at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) - open Mon-Fri from 10 am to 10 pm ET, or text “NAMI” to741-741 - Available 24/7”

As you can tell, they've been around for quite some time, and judging by their content, I can see why! It seems like an excellent organization to get plugged into.

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2.      International Bipolar Foundation

The International Bipolar Foundation comes in as a strong runner-up with almost 400 videos and over 11k subscribers.

The biggest selling point for me is the numerous informative videos done by certified doctors. Finding various experts discussing different aspects of bipolar in one place made researching on my own easy. Those, combined with tons of first-hand experience videos and health and wellness topics, made it a massive help for me to understand my diagnosis.

From Their YouTube Channel Description:

"Founded in 2007 by four parents with children affected with bipolar disorder, International Bipolar Foundation empowers individuals living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers by providing advocacy, education, support, and awareness - fostering a caring community and stigma-free world where mental health is equitably acknowledged and treated."

They seem like a great foundation formed for the right reasons. You can find more info on how to connect on their website, HERE.

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3.     Polar Warriors

Polar Warriors channel boasts over 130 videos and comes in at 171k subscribers. There’s something about Robert Whittaker’s personal experience, combined with his delivery, that makes him one of my personal favorites. His in-depth explanations are packed with great information, but easy to follow along with. I'd say the amount of subscribers he has compared to my other two picks speaks for itself.

From Their YouTube channel:

"Welcome to Polar Warriors! - A Viewer-Supported Mental Health Channel Dedicated to Bipolar Disorder Support. These videos aren't just for the millions of "Polar Warriors" out there who live with bipolar disorder... It's also for the families, spouses, children, friends, and anyone else trying to understand more about the illness. Through the support, encouragement, education, and tools found in these videos, we hope you find yourself on a better path to mental wellness."

He also offers coaching and other resources on his website that you can find HERE.

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Last but not least, the video that helped me find my way back.

While those are hands down my favorite channels for mental health and bipolar information, there is one specific video I watched a handful of times in the days following my inpatient stay at a psychiatric hospital. I had seen it before, but never through the same lens as I did after my psychotic break. This video helped me find my footing again and realize God can use any one of us, no matter how broken we think we are, for something miraculous.

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