According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness website, one in five adults experience mental illness in a year. That's 43.8 million people in the United States. To put it in perspective, that's about the same as the population of California and Louisiana combined. Out of those 43.8 million, only 41% (around 18 million) people received treatment. Eighteen million people in the United States are suffering with no help. Why? If there are counselors, doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists, why are so many people choosing not to pursue help? One huge, preventable reason is the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

All too often, mental illness is equated to being "crazy," undesirable, dangerous even. To some people, a diagnosis would be a death sentence. This is because of the way mental illness is portrayed in the movies, TV shows, and language. Bipolar has become synonymous with violent, OCD is the same as being organized. People are afraid of being pigeonholed by their diagnosis. They don't realize that a diagnosis is not a definition of character, but rather a means to make treatment easier and more accurate. Generalizations are extremely harmful as they make some people unwilling to to face the truth, and therefore less likely to get the help they need.

Many people think treatment is unimportant because they believe it won't help. That it will just go away on it's own. They think it may be a lack of sleep or exercise, maybe they can feel better if they change their diet or get more sunlight. After all, it's all in your head, right? What they don't realize is that many mental illnesses are caused by chemical imbalances or other physiological problems that aren't fixed by eating more vegetables or meditating. There is a harmful stigma surrounding the idea of taking medication for the sake of mental health. People refer to medicine as "happy pills" and say hurtful things like "Are you off your meds?" While it is not the only treatment option, medicine can make an astounding difference in the lives of those who need it. Those who need it should not be shamed out of taking it.

Starting conversations about mental health and removing the stigma will help save lives. It will encourage people to get help sooner, and feel less shame. Mental illness is not something that can be helped, and not something that is easy to fight alone. If you suffer from a mental illness, talk about your experiences and help end ignorance. If you know someone with a mental illness, ask them questions and take time to learn about their condition. Educating yourself and others prevents the spread of misinformation and help end the stigma.