This is a qualitative study with the aim of getting better knowledge and understanding of how people with mental illness experience having access to a public communication channel. The study builds upon qualitative interviews with four participants of a radio project called Radio Totalnormal (RTN). RTN is a community radio station where people with mental illness do radio. The study focuses on how the respondents describe the participation in the project and how it has affected their self-image. The analysis uses the concept of empowerment and four social psychological concepts: social responsivity, asocial non-responsivity, abstract sociability and concrete sociability. The conclusions of the study are that the participation is described as a sense of solidarity, community and belonging. The participation can also be a source of joy, excitement and pleasure and a way to get praise and confirmation. To participate in RTN is described as being active and involved in the work, and as a way to send an important message and to get heard. The participation can contribute to getting better confidence and self-esteem and it strengthened some. In this way it affected their self-image.