According to NAMI one in five Americans is affected by mental health conditions. The stigma and resulting shame around mental health are often determining factors in a person’s decision to not open up and seek help. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an opportunity for us to play our role in bringing awareness to those who do not understand and may even discriminate against individuals with mental health conditions. With awareness we can provide the individuals, families and communities we engage with help with reducing the stigma of mental health and seeking mental health services. A mentor of mine used to say, “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.” Let’s get out there and change what we’ve been doing for the sake of a different and better result.
NAMI has a great campaign called #CureStigma. You can learn more about it on their website:
www.NAMI.org/stigmafree and atwww.curestigma.org
Another great way to address the stigma surrounding mental health is to talk about it. SO GET INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION. OOTify provides an excellent platform for everyone to join the conversation. How have you been affected by stigma? How have you managed to overcome the effects of stigma? Why wouldn’t we care for our minds in the same way that we care for the rest of our bodies?
This is so on point. The conversation is so ripe for change right now and the different opportunities to overcome the stigma is growing.
Education is so key in battling the stigma and apart of that is for people to overcome their fears of being judged. It will take all of us to change the cultural mindset around mental health but the ball is definitely rolling.
Lately I've had so many conversations with strangers about some of the issues that I've gone through in my life and once they hear my story, they feel more comfortable telling me theirs. Its a really cathartic experience when you can share with others some of the challenges that you've gone through.
Thanks for including these resources. We are bridging the gap one day at a time.
Lindo thank you for such great information. My question for you is a lot of folks spend time and money on their physical health when they have a cold or flu or even diabetes or heart disease. But when it comes to mental health, people do not prioritize the same. How do we bring parity to physical and mental health? How do we show “ROI” in investing in our mental health?
Ravi, that is a question that the industry has been asking for some time now. I believe that the problem lies in the publics’ reluctance to admit that mental illness can affect everyone. It is not just for the most extreme, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” cases. Western society is built on a “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality and because of this, mental health problems have always been seen as a weakness to be overcome and not as an illness that could benefit from professional assistance.
Now, as science evolves and expands, we are gaining a better understanding of mental illness and how far reaching it is. For better or for worse, social media is also playing a role in the public’s education and eventual acceptance of mental illness as an “illness”. Ultimately, however, I believe that good services and positive outcomes will be what brings parity to physical and mental health and will show “ROI”. If you think about it, why do you pay so much attention to your physical health? For me, I focus on my physical health because I know that I can have a positive effect on it. I know that a doctor can likely fix whatever is broken and that if I do some preventative maintenance I will see results. If we can get people to this place in regards to mental health, I think there will be parity.