INTERVIEW with Micah Dawanyi || Mental Health Advocate

Written By Suzanne Dang

SD: Hi Micah. Can you introduce yourself to my readers who don't know you yet?

MD: Hi! I’m Micah Dawanyi, I’m 21 years old, and I’m a licensed coach, author, and artist. As a coach, I’ve used my nonprofit sports training business to serve underfunded and marginalized communities and bring them access to quality training programs. As an author and artist, I use my writing and creative work to advocate for issues that resonate with me like social injustice and mental health awareness. In college I was enrolled in a dual studies program that focused on health science and psychology, which definitely fuels my mental health advocacy work. My latest book “Battle Scars & Blossoms: A Journey Through the Mind” is actually a fiction that deals with mental health and specifically the dangers of emotional suppression. 

SD: As a mental health advocate, what is the most common thing you hear from people living with mental health conditions?

MD: I think it depends. Mental health conditions exist on such a wide spectrum, so everyone’s experience is different. But I often hear people say that they wish they got help sooner. There are a lot of social stigmas and barriers to resources and education that prevent people from getting the mental health help they need as soon as possible, which is sad. One of my dreams is to one day figure out a systemic way to change that.

SD: What do you wish men knew about mental health?

MD: That everyone is affected by their mental health, in some way or another. I think the stigma around men’s mental health often comes from the fact that mental health maintenance/help is looked at very negatively, like it’s something to be ashamed about. But the reality is that everyone has a mind- that in itself makes mental health a universally-relatable topic. Nobody should feel ashamed.


SD: Why do you think there is a stigma associated with mental health conditions?

MD: As a society, we fear what we don’t understand. It’s probably easier to just place complex feelings, emotions, behaviors, and mind-states under an umbrella of negativity, instead of taking time to explore those nuances.

Stigmas and toxic beliefs are also passed down through generations, even in “unconscious” ways. If parents express viewpoints that say that emotions and mental health are unimportant, their children are more likely to internalize those beliefs and believe them. Thats how the cycle of stigmas can continue.


SD: What role can culture play in this stigma?

MD: From personal experiences, I’ve found that cultures that place high emphasis on religion often create stigmas, because many people believe that prayer or reading spiritual scripture is the solution to all mental challenges. In these cultures, it’s often seen as absurd to seek professional mental health help- I’ve seen it personally in my culture. When someone tries to open up, they are quickly shut down and told to “just pray about it.” I think there needs to be more of a balance. 

Also, people from so many cultures are affected by socioeconomic factors that limit access to education about mental health. That’s something we as a society have to address if we want to find solutions.

SD: Do you have advice for men who are too embarrassed to get help?

MD: Give yourself grace, but understand that the sooner you start your healing journey, the better. Healing can be overwhelming, because if there’s a large sense of chaos looming over your life, it may seem unrealistic to solve the entirety of your problem(s) at once. Healing doesn’t work like that; healing isn’t linear, and there isn’t a specific timeframe for healing. But it’s important to try. As weird as it sounds, one of the greatest ways to display your personal strength is through allowing yourself to open up, look for support, and get help.

SD: What do you want men with mental health conditions to know?

MD: That there are spaces for you to get the help you need. It is possible to gain control over your mental health conditions, and those conditions don’t have to define the entirety of who you are (in a negative way).

SD: How can men support people they love with mental health conditions?

MD: By taking time to understand those mental conditions. I understand that can mean entering into a new, unfamiliar space, but it will help you support the people in your life that live with mental conditions. And they need the support; they need love.

Suzanne Dang
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