Mental illness is a serious issue that we're facing in our world today. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. will experience mental illness within a year. That's 18.5% of the national population.
The stigmatization of mental illness is dangerous to those dealing with mental illness because not talking about it, has the potential to cause more harm than good. Demi Lovato, an outspoken advocate for mental health, recently went to Capitol Hill to discuss mental health reform.
When Demi Lovato announced to the world four years ago that she was suffering from bipolar disorder, she became an inspiration to those suffering from many different mental disorders. Having someone who is in the spotlight as much as Lovato is, she is someone for people to look up to. Lovato uses her success and prominence in the media to bring attention to mental illness by openly speaking about her own mental health diagnosis. She is a part of the Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health campaign which is "a partnership between the signer and other leading mental health advocacy organizations including, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, the JED Foundation, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Council for Behavioral Health, and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc."
This past month, Lovato spoke at Capitol Hill as a representative of Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health. In an interview with CBS News she said, "One thing that I've learned while dealing with this in the public eye has been, that as rewarding as it is sharing my story and helping others, it's important to take care of myself as well," she said. "I think that's been something that's really resonated with me over the past year. It's great to get outside of yourself and help others, but it's also important that I stay dedicated to my treatment plan and make sure that I can help myself before others."
People are afraid to talk about mental illness. As someone who has seen, firsthand, friends and family dealing with a mental illness, it's important to remember that, as human beings, we all need support regardless of our mental state. The stigmatization of mental illness is so severe that it's as if people think mental illness is contagious. Not talking about it will only make it worse.
In order to make those with mental illness feel comfortable about asking for help or getting treatment, mental illness and the bubble around it needs to be discussed more and people who aren't dealing with mental illness need to understand what mental illness is.
We live in a world where war happens, shootings happen, and discrimination is still prevalent. We all need support and help sometimes. We shouldn't be afraid of getting help or being ostracized by our peers.
We are not alone.
