Each year, millions of people in America deal with the reality of living with a mental health condition. Most people know that mental illness is a serious issue; however, there is still a prominent stigma around mental health that labels a person with disgrace and creates a negative attitude and prejudice towards those facing mental health disorders. This stigma brings about feelings of shame, blame, hopelessness, and distress, and often leads to reluctance of those affected to seek or accept the necessary help they need. Due to this stigma, many people are scared, nervous, or embarrassed to reach out to others when they are unable to cope on their own, and in turn, they fall fate to harmful coping mechanisms.
The month of May is designated as National Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is used to highlight fighting the stigma, providing support, educating the public, and advocating for equal care for those living with a mental illness. Many don’t know exactly what it means to have a mental condition, how to understand it, and what to do to help a friend in need, but one of the easiest things we can do is help end the stigma around mental health.
Learning the facts and myths about mental health is one of the most important things to do to eliminate the stigma. Knowing the many different mental illnesses that people suffer from will lead to more knowledge and better understanding. Trying to tell the difference between the signs of a mental illness and typical behaviors as a result of stress or physical illness can sometimes be difficult, and although each illness has its own set of symptoms, some common signs of mental illness include: feeling excessive worry, fear, unhappiness, or being down, inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior, or personality, confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning, extreme mood changes, prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger, avoiding friends and social activities, inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems, difficulties perceiving reality and understanding or relating to other people, changes in sleeping or eating habits, abuse of alcohol or drugs, and multiple physical ailments without obvious causes such as vague and ongoing “aches and pains.” Being able to identify these can allow you to better notice a mental illness and help yourself or friends early. Knowing the truth about mental health illness can lead to understanding that mental health disorders are not anyone’s fault which can in turn put an end to the stigma around mental health.
Listening to others who are experiencing a mental health condition and asking what you can do to help them can also dispute the stigma. Don’t question them having a mental health illness, trivialize their illness, or tell them that they are simply over-reacting about the situation, but rather show them your support and offer up any help that you can give them. Sometimes just giving someone a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear is all they need to get through it. Also, be kind to everyone and pay attention to the words that you use when talking to others so as not to say something that could hurt the feelings of someone who has a mental illness. These words could include “psycho,” “nut-case,” “crazy,” and more.
Talking about mental health is also very important to challenge the stigma. Having a conversation and breaking the silence will show that mental health conditions are very common, and it’s okay to speak up and seek help when it’s needed. No matter who you are, you can talk about how mental illness touches your life in some way, whether it is directly or through a friend, family member, or acquaintance. Stories of actual experiences and events are a great way to help destroy the stigma because it is proof that no one is alone in having a mental illness, and it might inspire someone else to share their story and seek help. Talking about mental health can provide hope for those who are experiencing an illness and shows that there is nothing to be ashamed of if you are suffering from a mental disorder.
By educating yourself and others, seeing the people affected rather than the illnesses, and talking about mental health conditions, everyone can play their part in ending the stigma around mental health. For more information on mental health conditions and what you can do, go to http://nami.org or http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net. You can also go to http://www.nami.org/stigma and take the stigma free pledge to challenge social stereotypes and take your stand against the mental health stigma.
