Let's Make it Okay to Ask For Help
The stigma around mental health issues is a huge problem! It stops too many people from getting help early, when it’s most effective. With a little knowledge, you and I can help end the stigma, prevent a great deal of suffering and save more lives.
The number of ordinary people with mental illness might surprise you. It is as prevalent in the US as people diagnosed with cancer. One in five adults suffers from mental illness in any given year, says the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Behavior addictions, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse impair millions of people, some even before they are teenagers. Mental health issues can be life-threatening, but they don’t have to be. The important thing is to address the illness early on.
There's a terrible cost to the stigma about asking for help. It keeps too many from learning how to recover mental health while the issues are the most manageable.
We all can reduce the stigma against mental health. Start by realizing that it's not a personal shortcoming, character flaw or moral weakness. No one chooses to be depressed!
Let’s repeat that: Mental illness is not a choice. It’s a condition that touches millions of ordinary people. Untreated, it constrains the lives of too many.
Getting help is more than okay - it is important, respectable, courageous, and necessary. We can help end the stigma by showing acceptance, support and respect for mental health issues and those who address them in their lives.
Worried about seeking mental health care? Wonder how to feel better about asking for help? Get the full article here.
Comments (0)