Throughout the month of May, we’re sharing mental health resources and tips. This week, we’re spotlighting strategies for reducing stigma—negative attitudes or beliefs about people with mental health issues.

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 the fear of being judged or labeled. Together, we can help reduce stigma by:

• Listening to and learning from others about mental health issues.
• Starting a dialogue about mental health by sharing personal experiences and facts.
• 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., “She is OCD”), try, “She has obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
• Talking about mental health treatment like we would any other type of health care treatment.
• Showing compassion to people who are struggling with mental health issues, including ourselves.

References

Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. (n.d.). Psychiatry.org. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination.