+ I can't think of a fake name!

Try some of these on for size!

• Random Name Generator
• Fantasy Name Generator

+ What Pseudonyms will not be accepted onto the podcast?

Please do not use the names of:

• Real people
• Celebrities
• Real Businesses/Organizations

Or names that give away your:

• Occupation
• Location (a city name is fine, a borough or subsection of that city is too much!

Or words that include:

• Foul Language
• Hate Speech
• Slurs

Or words that violate the rights of third parties, including:

• trademarks
• copyrights
• rights of privacy
• defemation
• trade secrets
• non-disclosure agreements

+ Can I use my real name instead a pseudonym?

Please don’t - the whole point of this is for every interaction to remain anonymous.

+ If I have already contributed to the podcast under a pseudonym do I have to use the same one?

It’s up to you! You’re welcome to use the same one or pick a new one.

+ What should I write about?

There are essentially no rules for what you write - It doesn’t have to be prolific or contain any deep secrets, all we ask is that you just reflect and tell us anything you want to about what you experienced. Please do try to tell us about your whole day rather than one specific event, however.

+ Where do I write/where should I send my writing?

Please use the submission form here. NOTE: We recommend you type out your submission elsewhere and save it before you paste it into the form on our website. This is just a safety precaution in case your internet cuts out or the page stops working - we don't want you to have to type out your submission twice!

+ My submission is too long and won't fit in the form, what should I do?

You are welcome to use the form multiple times, just make sure you put in the same pseudonym every time and in the message area put something like PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, etc.

+ Is there anything I CAN’T include in a written submission?

Please do not include:

• Your real name
• The real names of anyone else
• The name of the town, village, or city you are in
• The names of any specific location markers, including roads, subway stops, national monuments, etc.
• The names of any businesses, corporations, non profits, organizations, legal entities, etc.
• hate speech
• threats to people, places, things or animals.
• telephone numbers
• addresses
• content that violate the rights of any third parties, including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, defamation, trade secrets, and non-disclosure agreements.

+ What details CAN I include in a written submission?

• Your pseudonym
• Fake names/aliases of people/places/things. Feel free to make them outrageous.
• Geographical regions (North, South, East, West, etc), Countries, Continents, Oceans

+ Is there a limit to how many times I can submit written submissions?

We’d like to limit one written submission per person per every 6 months. If you’d like to get involved with the podcast in other ways, why not read what someone else wrote?

+ Who will record themselves reading my submission?

They are distributed completely at random.

+ Is anything I send you guaranteed to go on the podcast?

We will try to put everything on the podcast, but no, we can’t make any guarantees.

+ Can I edit my writing once I hit submit?

Typically no, but in case you accidentally gave away information that would impede on your anonymity you are welcome to contact us here with the email subject title: WRITTEN SUBMISSION CHANGE. Please tell us the name of your pseudonym and what information needs to be redacted or changed.

+ I’ve changed my mind and I don’t want my writing on your podcast - what do I do?

Contact us HERE. with the email subject title: WRITTEN SUBMISSION REMOVE. Please make sure to include the name of your pseudonym in the message.

+ How do I start the recording? What needs to be in the recording?

INSTRUCTIONS: The recording itself should follow the below outline.

FIRST: The Introduction. Say your alias and the name of the writer in one or two sentences. Please remember to give yourself a pseudonym! We don’t want you to use your real name, your job, or your specific location!

example: “Hi, my name is Captain America and today I’ll be reading something by The Winter Soldier.”

or

example: “Hey everyone, this is Ghost from a cabin somewhere in Canada. The following words were written by someone who wants to go by Apollo.”

SECOND: The Written Submission. Please record yourself reading the text we sent to you written by a complete stranger. It’s super important that you read it as is. We can’t put it on the podcast if you change it in any way - that wouldn’t be fair to the writer!

+ What do I use to record myself reading a submission?

Please use the recording widget on our website found at http://imaginingotherpeople.com/get-involved#read.

+ When do I need to send you a recording by?

If we don’t hear back from you within 5 days we’ll pass along the written submission to the next requestor.

+ If I don’t send a recording back to you within 5 days am I allowed to request another one?

Yep - there is no limit to how many times you can request a recording. But just know that unless someone else has submitted a request, you are likely to recieve the same submission as before.

+ Is there a limit to how many times I can send you a recording?

We’d like to limit one recording per person per every 6 months. If you’d like to get involved with the podcast in other ways, why not write about your day?

+ Can I do a dramatic reading for my recording?

Yes! We’d actually love for amateur and professional actors to do readings for us! However, we won’t accept any recordings that we feel makes fun of or belittles the written submissions.

+ Can I play music in the background of my recording or use sounds for effect?

Unless you end up making sound effects with your own body, please don't! We don't want to get fined for unknowingly playing liscensed material.

+ What if I don’t like the written submission I receive?

Please keep in mind that just because you are recording yourself reading these submissions, we understand that the words sent to you might not align with your own personal experiences or beliefs and that you reading these words is not an endorsement of them. However, if you receive a submission you find particularly triggering or too upsetting please do message us and let us know what’s up and we’ll send you a different written submission. We want to make sure everyone is safe in their recovery process. That being said, please don’t message us if you simply don’t like the submission your recieved - every voice is important, and they are distributed completely at random.

+ Is anything I send you guaranteed to go on the podcast?

We will try to put everything on the podcast, but no, we can’t make any guarantees.

+ Can I email you a recording?

No, unfortunately we cannot accept email submissions at this time. Please use the recording widget on the get involved page here.

+ I NEED URGENT HELP!

Feeling Suicidal? Please take a moment to read this post on how to cope with suicidal thoughts.
Want to help someone who is feeling suicidal? This post on suicide prevention might help.
The international association for suicide prevention is dedicated to preventing suicidal behavior and alleviating it’s effects. It also has links to forums.
A list of Reasons NOT to Commit Suicide
Mental Help - A site that has basic information, resources, articles, and a list of books that might be helpful.
Surviving A Suicide Attempt
How to cope with suicidal thoughts/ideation made by a MHP
Mental Support Community- A forum where you can post when you are in crisis RIGHT NOW, and need peer support as quickly as possible.
Samaritans UK (email, postal mail, in-person, and over the phone)
BoysTown National Hotline (email, chat, phone)
National Suicide Prevention Hotline (phone, chat)
National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives
RAINN online hotline (Rape, abuse, and incest national network)
Lifeline crisis chat is a online chat where you can talk to trained operators in times of crisis- Australian based.
[2-1-1] phone number to call in US for resources including emergency housing and food (United Way)
You Feel Like Shit – An Interactive Self Care Guide is a great place to start if you’re having a bad episode and need help calming down (this is good for troubleshooting your mental health, but it does not contain interpersonal support)
Niteline: an emergency chat service for nighttime from UK. run by students for students
Peer support chats**

+ General resources

PsychForums Psychology and Mental Health Forums, a great place to ask questions and learn more.
Psych Central Forums and great information.
Lets Recover Together: inspiration and a place to get advice and support.
How to find a Support Group How to find the proper support group and other resources.
DailyStrength: A support forum for a variety of different situations and disorders/illnesses.
Medline Plus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. It brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues.
The Treatment Advocacy Center is an United States of America nonprofit organization working to eliminate barriers to timely treatment of severe mental illness.
Mental Health Medications Guide describes the types of medications used to treat mental disorders, side effects of medications and directions for taking medications.
Active minds is the only organization working to utilize the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses.
Tics: what they are and how they are treated.
Tips for preparing for a natural disaster when you have a mental illness.
Book List of great Mental Health Books

+ General techniques and posts

A step by step guide to belly breathing. Here are some exercises you can do that helps to keep you in the present: grounding techniques. Mental grounding exercises. Physical grounding exercises. Soothing grounding exercises.
Having trouble falling asleep? Here are some tips from followers that might help.
Making a comfort box.
Safety plan cards are a great idea to keep in your wallet or comfort box which reminds you of your coping mechanisms and people who you can call to be safe.
Tips on remembering to take medication. And here’s our list.
Pleasant event scheduling is a very simple technique where you do at least 3 pleasant events per week so your life if filled with happy enjoyable moments.
Here is also a Pleasant Activities List where you can rate how enjoyable you find an activity. Don’t worry about the scoring – this is just a way to help you gauge which activities to include that will help the most.
8 Simple tips to help overcome loneliness.
How to work through feelings of social isolation.
You Feel Like Shit – An Interactive Self Care Guide helps you work through bad episodes and takes you through things that might be wrong.

+ Getting and to and talking with a therapist

How to pick a therapist
This is a step by step on getting a therapist.
Psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist or counsellor?
50 Signs of Good Therapy
50 Warning Signs of Questionable Therapy
Tips for getting the most out of each therapy session
6 Ways to open up to your therapist
What should happen in a session
How to talk about yourself in therapy
Need to find a therapist by location? Psychologytoday lets you search by city or zip code.
Can’t afford therapy? No insurance? Need low cost options? Here is a great list of ways to get help when money or insurance is an issue.
Here is a video demonstrating what a first therapy session may look like made by a mental health professional

+ Helping a friend

Want to help a friend with a mental illness or disorder?
Want to help a friend or loved one with Social Anxiety?
How to help a friend experiencing an anxiety or panic attack.
Helping a friend who has an eating disorder.
Living with & Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder
60 Tips for supporting loved ones with Schizoprenia spectrum disorders or any other MI.
Helping a friend or family member
9 things not to say to someone with mental illness
ActiveMinds guide to helping a friend you’re worried about
More tips on helping a friend
Confronting a friend
7 Of the most helpful things you can say to someone with depression

+ How to tell someone you are having mental health problems

This post on telling someone about your mental health problem has some great tips and advice.
This is a post with links to various modules you can complete to help you assert yourself.
Here is a online self help book that has some self help tips and information on social skills training.
Talk about Mental Health
How to start your conversation
How to tell the people you love
Video for Parents By Teens Explaining Depression
Helping Your Family Understand MDD