It is not one element that defines the stigma of mental health, but a puzzle formed by both minuscule and grand pieces.

The term "stigma" is associated with the way that society views mental health and the way that mental health has gone unrecognized in society, but what does the term mean exactly? A stigma is a stamp of shame in reference to a specific quality, individual or situation; it's what occurs when an individual negatively views another due to a specific characteristic of that person. A stigma can occur both subconsciously and consciously as a form of discrimination towards another. What society often doesn't realize is that not only does the stigma against mental health greatly impact an individual with a mental disorder, but it as well layers on top of other possible aspects of discrimination, such as gender, sexuality, race, and more.

An individual could develop a stigma as a response to multiple circumstances such as a possible lack of personal experience with or knowledge of mental health, a denial with a personal mental disorder and the refusal of help, or the feigning of a fellow individual claiming to possess a mental illness.

It is ironic that there is such a stigma and oblivious attitude towards mental health in society as it is a dominant characteristic of several people and families. I think that one of the reasons in which there is such a negative connotation with mental illness is the fact that it cannot be observed like a physical illness; you cannot always tell who may suffer from what or the expanse of how a disorder impacts them. Based off of my personal experiences and the experiences of those around me, I have seen just how far the tunnel of mental health travels and how much pain one may cause themselves or others as a result of it.

Think about the ironic nature with which a parent may dismiss mental health with statements like, "It's all in your head," or "You're lying," or "Snap out of it," due to the fact that it is not a straightforward visible illness, with the same parent turning around to encourage their child to believe in characters, such as Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, without visible evidence to provide the child.

Previously mentioned in part one of "The Evaluation," mental health has unfortunately become a common excuse for individuals in daily life as well as a source of attention, inevitably increasing society's stigma towards the subject. Remember when you were a child and you heard the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf?" Mental health has become another tale in which society created by lying about the topic in such an extent that the line between an individual who suffers from a mental illness and an individual who does not, has been blurred and become impossible to distinguish. The pure fact that there are people who think it's okay to lie about mental health to better themselves is a strong example of the disrespect towards another in itself and is an example of why mental health has become a cliche in society. If you know that there are people harming, hurting and killing themselves as a result of mental health, why then take the topic and make it into a laidback thing to be tossed around without care?

Although it may be hard to tell the true intentions of an individual, one of the things that society fails to realize is that words and judgment can impact an individual just as strongly as physical harm. With mental illnesses, there is often a fair amount of instability of emotion and time required to remove that from daily life and functioning. Especially as a young child or teenager, humans are sponges that take the comments of others and reflect on them so much that they are no longer able to tell what thoughts are their's and what are another's.

Why be okay with the possibility of one harming themselves over a thought that you or society gave them?

Being an individual who not only has had personal experiences with mental health, but the influence of the experiences of others around me, I have in quite a few ways encountered the stigma against mental health in society. I know what it is like to hear the words, "Why is this happening" and then face the frustration of another when I am unable to provide an explanation, or hear the words that, "This isn't real" and spend the rest of the day thinking of myself as crazy. I've made the mistake of trusting someone's words that they would be there for you, and have gotten hurt not only when they weren't or when they got tired of it, but disappointed in myself for putting that pressure on another in the first place. I know what it is like to have to talk someone off of the ledge of harm while simultaneously keeping yourself away from it. By being an individual with more than one mental disorder, I understand the fear of judgment from others when talking about mental health and therapy.

And while I think that the stigma against mental health is one that doesn't have to be timeless and can be improved, it is ultimately up to the individual to educate themselves outside of the classroom or workspace. It may be difficult, and mistakes may be made when changing a perspective or attitude, but the important thing is that you can recognize and further learn from such mistakes.