The month of May promotes mental health awareness. Although it is now June, we must continue to support the visibility of people with mental illness. Mental illnesses are real, and their prevalence is immense. This past year it was found that approximately 20% of our country, meaning 1 in 5 people or 46.6 million Americans, have a mental illness of some kind. So why does the stigma still exist?
Unfortunately, the stigma against mental illnesses is about as common as they are themselves. Mental health is not viewed as a real issue by all. Due to a lack of awareness or understanding, one may face conflict in the home, with friends, in the workplace, and more. These barriers have powerful impacts on people with mental illness. Because our society does not often promote acceptance and inclusion, people with mental illness develop “self-stigma”. This term is used to describe when people internalize the negative stigma of mental illness that our society imposes.
In partnership with Rooted in Rights, we present a video discussing the stigma against mental illness in an effort to spread awareness about it and share information about what you can do to combat self-stigma.