THRIVE
Posted October 9, 2020
When we have a health issue like a broken ankle, strep throat or fatigue, we often seek medical help as soon as we know something is wrong.
Yet, research shows people with mental health conditions wait an average of 10 years before seeking treatment and the mental health support they need. Many hesitate to talk with family, friends and health providers.
A main reason people put off getting help is the stigma associated with having a mental health condition. Stigma leads people to label, stereotype and even marginalize, ridicule or trivialize people with mental health conditions.
This in turn makes it harder for any one of us who might experience a mental health condition to acknowledge what is happening and seek treatment. It also makes it more difficult for us to have compassion for and talk openly to those with mental health conditions, even when they are people we love. And that can make people feel isolated, keeping them from seeking the treatment they truly need or causing them to deny their symptoms completely.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, only 60 percent of people with serious mental health conditions actually receive treatment and the mental health support they need. Here's how you can help stop mental health stigma and support a loved one struggling with mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts.
Stigma is not based on facts. It's based on negative media portrayals of people with mental health conditions and addiction, fear, lack of education and understanding, our personal experiences, and stories we have heard throughout our lives.
Each of us can rise to the challenge of breaking down mental health stigma. We can chip away at it so that when we or someone we love experiences a mental health condition, it's easier to talk about, seek help and address it—just as we would with any other medical condition.
If you or a loved one needs help don't wait. There is a wide variety of mental health support groups and services for people who have a mental health condition, an addiction or both, regardless of age, severity or location.
Talk to your health care provider or call the Mental Health & Addiction Connection line, 866-603-0016866-603-0016, for any mental health or addiction service, question or concern, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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