Even though everyone has mental health and help with mental wellness is for everyone, many people don’t discuss mental health or seek help due to stigma—negative attitudes or beliefs about people with mental health issues. On this World Mental Health Day, we can help promote a stigma-free culture by:

• Being informed about mental health and mental health issues.
• Having a conversation with others about mental health, such as sharing facts and personal experiences.
• Using people-first language to emphasize that a person is not a disorder. Instead of using a mental health disorder as an adjective (e.g., “He is bipolar”), try, “He has bipolar disorder.”
• Normalizing mental health treatment as a part of health care.
• Recognizing self-stigma, which is holding negative attitudes or beliefs about oneself. If you feel shame for having a mental health issue, the Mayo Clinic offers ways to overcome and cope with stigma.

References

Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. (n.d.). Psychiatry.org. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination