18 Powerful Ways We Can Reduce the Mental Health Stigma

Mental Healthย Awareness is a necessity and so is the stigma surrounding mental illness. The mental health stigma may seem daunting to reverse, but there is a myriad of ways we can work to combat it.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I asked people from all walks of life how we can reduce the mental health stigma. I hope their enlightening words inspire you to work to eliminate the stigma.

Ways We Reduce Mental Health Stigma infographics

1.ย Discuss mental health without shame.

โ€œStart talking to people [about] mental health, and [donโ€™t be] afraid to discuss. Talk to family, friends, colleagues [and] neighbors, and build from there with more people. Encourage [others] to talk about [mental illness] and ways to remove the stigma.โ€ โ€” Sofia

โ€œTalk about mental illness and have real, open discussions about it and realize itโ€™s nothing to be ashamed to talk about because mental health is so important.โ€ โ€” Larissa

โ€œI think one way [we could] reduce the stigma is by talking about mental health. We all have it, so why not talk about it? We need to normalize it [like] any other physical condition that we can have.โ€ โ€” Yujia

2. Document your mental health transformation.

โ€œI think the best way to reduce stigma is by exercising courage and documenting our struggles and transformation. Thereโ€™s no shame in admitting you need help.โ€ โ€” Molly

Read:11 Signs You Need To Talk To A Therapist

3. View people with mental illness as people first.

โ€œ[See that] people with mental illness are still people first.โ€ โ€” Sydney

โ€œMental health needs to be talked about on a more personal level first [and a more clinical level] second.ย There is a person behind the figures and charts you need to get to know first, and the diagnosis comes last. People [with mental illness] are still people. Treat them first.โ€ โ€” Jessica

โ€œI think we can reduce the [mental health] stigma by working not to reduce people to their mental illness. Mental illness [may] already be all-consuming for the person [who] lives with it, so letโ€™s all work harder to see it as just a slice of who someone is, not the defining factor.โ€ โ€” Kat

4. Show empathy for those living with mental illness.

โ€œWe [could] reduce [the mental health stigma] by talking to people with mental illness and [trying] to [empathize] instead of judge.โ€ โ€” Louis

5. Make people aware of mental illness.

โ€œWe need to make more people aware of [of mental illness].ย I believe that if more people are in tune with what is going on, then maybe they will be more tolerant of what is right in front of them.โ€ โ€” Rivka

6. Speak up if you notice signs of mental illness.

โ€œ[We could] end the [mental health] stigma by speaking up if we see signs of mental illness.โ€ โ€” Tylia

7. Recognize how common mental health conditions are.

โ€œWe can reduce mental health stigma by recognizing thatย 1 in 5 people deal with a mental illness in [any] given year.ย They deserve support, resources and compassion.โ€ โ€” Adrian

Read: What Depression Looks Like: The Hard-Hitting Truth

8. Be an agent of change.

โ€œWe need to be the change that people see. ย We [may] not see change unless [those of us with mental illness] are the voice to help us.โ€ โ€” Daniel

9. Advocate for ongoing mental health education.

โ€œI think a great place for us to start as a society is education โ€” making sure people learn about how common mental health issues are and what some common ones may look like. I think [mental health] education at a younger age is so important.โ€ -Megan

โ€œI believe the quickest way to [reduce] the stigma is to educate others.โ€ โ€” Katrina

โ€œ[We need to educate] the masses about mental illness in order to reduce [the stigma]. If people are uneducated, there is still a stigma about mental illness.โ€ โ€” Dakota

10. Learn about specific mental health diagnoses.

โ€œI think itโ€™s vital that [medical] professionals [in particular] are not afraid of certain diagnoses and are willing to learn when they donโ€™t understand something.โ€ โ€” Andee

11. Foster a culture that allows men to feel comfortable with asking for help.

โ€œMen [in particular] are taught from the youngest of agesย that seeking help is a sign of weakness. I jokingly say that most men would rather be lost than ask for directions. We have to change that! We need to create a dynamic in which help-seeking is OK and viewed as a signal of greater strength.โ€ โ€” Casey

12. Donโ€™t be afraid to disclose your mental illness.

โ€œDonโ€™t be afraid to tell other people you have a mental illness because if you are ashamed of it, then other people [may] also see it as shameful.โ€ โ€” Katie

13. Donโ€™t joke about mental illness.

โ€œI think something a lot of people donโ€™t consider is being careful with the jokes they make.ย For example, [when] someone has a really bad day and says, โ€œI want to dieโ€ as a joke. Things like that can make it difficult for someone [who is actually struggling with their mental health] to come forward because they might feel like they wonโ€™t be taken seriously.โ€ โ€” Abbey

14. Change the way you think about mental health.

โ€œHanging onto your [misconceptions about mental illness may] only showcase your mental well-being. Help yourself mend those thoughts, and you [may] be surprised as to how many people you can help.โ€ โ€” Vaishnavi

Read:10 Pointers For Fighting The Stigma Of Substance Abuse

15. Acknowledge that illness is illness.

โ€œAcknowledge that illness is illness, whether it is mental or physical.โ€ โ€” Maria

16. Donโ€™t be afraid to go to therapy.

โ€œAs someone who goes to therapy, I think more people shouldnโ€™t be so afraid to go to therapy.ย It doesnโ€™t mean youโ€™re โ€˜crazy.โ€™ It means you want to be a better person and have a grasp on yourself [and] your life.ย I think one of the biggest stigmas is โ€˜therapyโ€™ equals โ€˜crazy,โ€™ and itโ€™s quite the opposite.โ€ โ€” Lexi

Read: Overcoming The Stigma Around Couples Therapy

17. Be open and honest about your mental health.

โ€œI think that one important step to โ€˜breaking the cycleโ€™ of mental health stigmas is by being completely open and honest with those around us about our illnesses and struggles. By doing this, we [can] humanize the illness and put real faces to the diagnoses.โ€ โ€” Megan

โ€œShare your personal experiences with mental illness. Openly, unapologetically sharing your mental health story can spark a chain reaction, allowing others to feel comfortable with disclosing their mental illnesses as well. Your story may soon become a dialogue, then can transform into a conversation, which could effectively end the silence surrounding mental illness.โ€ โ€” Kelly

โ€œOpen up about mental health, and youโ€™ll be amazed [by] how many others [may] open up, too.โ€ โ€” Rhiannon

18. Recognize that it takes a village to spread mental health awareness.

โ€œ[Know that] advocates can only do so much. Itโ€™s up to everyone else to take the wheel and help us [spread awareness]. [Raising mental health awareness] takes a village.โ€ โ€” Juliana


Written  by: Kelly Douglas
Originally appeared on: The Mightyย 
Republished with permission. 
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