** Text or call 988, call 1-800-273-8255 if you or a loved one is thinking about suicide or in need of confidential help (Español: 1-888-628-9454) **
A mental illness is a medical condition disrupting a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning.
Mental health is a key component to overall wellness for both adults and children alike. There is a stigma behind mental illnesses that can lead to worsening symptoms and delayed help or treatment. It is our goal to help you understand a little bit more and to provide Mental Health Resources & Awareness for all.
Stigma
- Negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something (i.e. mental health)
Why is there a stigma of mental illness?
- Ignorance or a lack of information about mental illnesses
- Lack of resources for those who are affected by mental illnesses
- Negatives thoughts, attitudes and beliefs towards mental illnesses
What are some negative effects of the mental health stigma?
- Delayed treatments or avoidance/reluctance to seek help
- Fewer work, school and social opportunities
- Bullying, harassment, defamation or violence
- Workplace challenges
- Using demeaning language or hostile words
- Believing that you are a failure or can't improve your situation
- Feeling embarrassed, ashamed, or losing self confidence
- Feeling like you don't belong
- Lack of insurance coverage for mental illnesses
- Stereotyping, labels and discrimination
- Poor physical health - poor eating habits and/or not enough exercise
How can you end the stigma?
- Educate yourself
- Use appropriate language when talking about mental health (words matter!)
- Listen to and support your friends and loved ones
- Share recovery stories and be honest about treatment
- Encourage equality
- Don't shame - empower!
- Speak out and help educate others
- Be compassionate
Mental Health Causes and Self-Care
What can cause mental health illnesses?
- Unhealthy habits (i.e. not enough sleep, your diet, drugs, alcohol, etc)
- Negative thoughts
- Trauma
- Genetics
- Brain physiology
- Childhood abuse
- Neglect
- Your environment
- Poverty and/or debt
- Social isolation and/or loneliness
What are things we can do to take care of our mental health?
- Think positively and value yourself
- Talk about your feelings
- Seek help and/or treatment; join a support group
- Get enough sleep every night
- Learn new skills and/or start a new hobby that brings joy to you
- Be present - don't dwell on the past or become anxious of the future
- Make positive connections; do not isolate yourself
- Join a support group (this can be your family as well!)
- Try to lead a healthier life
- Get a little bit of exercise every day
- Everything in moderation (i.e. alcoholic beverages, sugar, etc)
Conversation Tips & Scripts
| Say this... | Instead of this... |
| Is there anything I can do to help? | Deal with it. |
| Thanks for opening up to me; I'm here for you when you need me. | Pull yourself together / Use your will power. |
| How are you feeling today? | Try to think happier thoughts. |
| I love you. | Snap out of it / Get over it. |
| I can go with you to an appointment, if you need me to! | Everyone feels that way sometimes. |
| Person living with a mental health issue. | Mentally ill person. |
| She experiences psychosis; bipolar disorder; disorientation; OCD; or hallucination | You/they are schizophrenic; bipolar; psychotic; OCD; disturbed; crazy; insane |
Usual or typical. | Normal |
Passed away by suicide. | Committed suicide |
I am here to listen; your feelings are valid. | Why don't you focus on the positive? |
| That is difficult; I am here for you. | It could be worse; get over it. |
| Florida weather has been quite unpredictable this past week. | Florida weather is so bipolar. |
| I was on a roll cleaning yesterday. | I'm so OCD; I couldn't stop cleaning yesterday. |
| Wow! I can't believe it! | That's so crazy! |
| I can see you're having a hard time. I'm here for you. | Just relax. |
| I'm having a hard time paying attention. | I'm so ADD right now. |
| That was so embarrassing. | That was so embarrassing that I wanted to kill myself. |
| It was an attempted suicide. | It was an unsuccessful suicide. |
Other Resources
- Kids Minds Matter
- Make It OK
- NAMI Lee County Fact Sheets
- Self Help Tools
- Supporting Students from Diverse Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds
Looking for more in our Series: Turn Your New Year Resolutions Into Actions - A Year of Opportunity? Check out the other ideas for getting 2024 off to a glorious start!
