Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans are affected by mental illness? And in most cases, Americans with a mental health condition do not seek the help they so desperately need because they may have been blamed or stigmatized for their mental illness. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “stigma causes people to feel ashamed for something that is out of their control” and it prevents individuals from seeking treatment services. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are kicking the month off with a tip on how to fight against stigma and create safety in the environments where our families and children live.
First step to fighting stigma is to educate yourself and others on mental health conditions and the struggles that people experience in their daily lives. Take NAMI’s CureStigma quiz to see if you have stigma, then check out their Mental Health By The Numbers page to better understand how common mental illness is. Because together, we can #CureStigma and help individuals with mental illness feel safe.
