How Stigma Affects People and How You Can Help
Stigma means having negative or unfair beliefs about something. Sadly, many people face stigma when it comes to mental health. They worry that friends, teachers, family, or coworkers might treat them differently if they knew about their mental health concerns. Stigma can even change how people feel about themselves or someone they care about. It can make them feel ashamed, blame themselves, or think theyâre alone in dealing with mental health.
Facing stigma is tough, and it can stop people from getting the mental health care they needâabout 20% of teens and 50% of adults donât get the help they should.
How Stigma Affects People
Shame: Feeling bad about having mental health conditions.
Self-Blame: Thinking itâs their fault for having mental health conditions.
Isolation: Feeling alone in dealing with mental health conditions.
Reducing mental health stigma means making it okay for everyone to talk about their feelings and get help when needed.
Here Are Some Things You Can Do To Help
Learn and Share: Learn about mental health and talk about it with others, including children. Help people understand that mental health issues are like any other health problem and not something to be ashamed of.
Talk About Feelings: Talk openly about how you feel. Encourage your friends, family, and children to share their feelings too. This makes it normal to talk about emotions and ask for help.
Use Kind Words: Be careful with your words. Avoid saying hurtful things (e.g., someone is âcrazyâ) or making jokes about mental health. Use words that show you understand and care.
Support Others: Be supportive of people facing mental health challenges. Show kindness and listen without judging.
Share Your Story: If you feel comfortable, share your own experiences with mental health. This can help others feel less alone and encourage them to seek help too.
Ask for Help: Itâs okay to ask for help. Encourage others to seek help from professionals without feeling embarrassed.
Speak Up: If you see unfair treatment or hear mean comments about mental health, stand up against them. Be a voice for fairness and understanding.
Spread Good Messages: Support movies, books, and shows that talk about mental health in a respectful way. Share positive stories that show how people can overcome challenges.
Encourage Positive Change: Support making it easier for people to get help for mental health issues in schools, communities, and workplaces.
Celebrate Success: Celebrate stories of people who have overcome mental health challenges. Show that recovery and living a good life is possible. Reducing mental health stigma needs everyone to work together. By being kind, understanding, and talking openly about mental health, we can create a world where everyone feels accepted and supported.
Taking the First Step: One of the first steps in supporting mental health is talking about it. To learn more about starting this important conversation and fighting stigma, check out the resources below!