Let’s Help End the Mental Health Stigma!
Mental health is a hot topic these days. Unfortunately, equating mental health issues with violence and danger seems to be more prevalent than having constructive discussions. That perception and attitude sure won’t help end the mental health stigma.
Glenn Close and her family are trying to combat those stereotypes, through the organization they co-founded, BringChange2Mind (BC2M). Their goal is to end the mental health stigma (and the discrimination that accompanies it), and the path to achieving that goal begins with simply talking about it.
Getting the issue of mental health out in the open and having healthy, productive conversations about it helps raise awareness and educate people so that they develop a better understanding as well as empathy.
BringChange2Mind also acts as a portal to a broad coalition of organizations that provide service, screening, information, support, and treatment for mental illness.
BringChange2Mind and the #MindOurFuture Campaign
BringChange2Mind wants to create a movement — with your help. You can join the #MindOurFuture campaign to help end the fear, the shame, and the misunderstanding of mental health issues.
Mental health issues can be difficult to talk about, for a variety of reasons. While some may be unfamiliar with mental health, many feel uncomfortable discussing the topic. That’s why a simple conversation is the best way to start. And that conversation can transform the narrative of mental health — from a mental health stigma to a message of hope.
That conversation will allow us — all of us — to rise to the occasion and be remembered forever for ending the mental health stigma, once and for all!
How Can You Help End the Mental Health Stigma?
Through the #MindOurFuture campaign, BringChange2Mind is asking people to share their stories — their mental health stories about helping someone, or about reaching out for help, during a mental health struggle.
Taking part is easy — and the benefits can be enormous. Sharing your story can help someone else who is struggling, and hearing someone else’s story can help you as well. No matter how you look at it, it’s a win-win.
Submit your Video by February 29th
You can submit your video on YouTube through February 29. Don’t forget to tag #MindOurFuture. The BringChange2Mind team will select a handful of submissions that will be featured in their national PSA!
*If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please call the Crisis Hotline: 800.273.TALK (8255).
Today’s conversation on Mental Health Stigma was brought to you by BringChange2Mind (BC2M)
This is a great campaign. I hope they will be able to educate a lot of people and finally put an end to mental health stigma.
The more we can share, the more people will realize they’re not alone. Many, many families have gone through a struggle with a loved one, and there’s truly help available!
BringChange2Mind and their #MindOurFuture campaign sounds like a great idea. It’s a great way to let people who are struggling with mental health issues know that they are not alone. Thank you for sharing this post.
I think this post about Mental Health is very important. I appreciate your review.
As a mental health sufferer myself, I will be participating. Thank you for sharing!
People who are uneducated on the subject are the ones that can really cause the stigmas. It is good to educate everyone.
I don’t really understand why people tend to look at mental illness as if it was something contagious. My niece suffered from depression and paranoia when she fell ill with a kidney disease. Luckily, her friends were true friends and were able to help the family get my niece out of her depressive state. They were there to support her during her therapy sessions.
I will participate
Its sad that there is still a stigma surrounding mental illness! With all the knowledge and help we have available this stigma should not exist!! Kudos to this program for taking steps in the fight!
It’s so unfortunate that there is still a stigma attached to mental health after all these years. This is an important message to send to society.
This is an awesome campaign. It hits home for me. When I was 16 years old my brother had mental health issues. He was 11 years older than me and had been in Vietnam. One day he took his life and I found him. He had been in and out of mental hospitals but back then they just doped him up and sent him back home where he wouldn’t take his medicine.
Oh Lisa, I am sorry for your loss. What a traumatic event. Maybe you could share your story to help others? But it not, hugs to you and for your family, even after all these years for that tragic loss. The Chief Blonde
Thank you.
Thanks for encouraging others to share their stories 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this. Such an important topic people should know about.
It’s good to be aware of all this and know what you can do to help.
I think that this is a wonderful program. It will make people realize that mental health problems are problems that often can be mitigated through discussion or therapy,etc.
Their is certainly a stigma associated with mental illness and has been. I can also say it was difficult for me to accept that I suffered from major depression and had to take medication daily. I will not go into the horrible story it took for me to accept it but so many people think a person is crazy if they have a “mental illness” which to me stems from lack of knowledge.
I’ve had to battle depression off and on for many years. Got great help from a therapist.
This is a very important campaign. We need to get more comfortable addressing the giant elephant in the room.
The #MindOurFuture campaign is fantastic. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I fully support lifting the stigma. Mental health should just be part of health. The mind and the body are not separate.
I’m so very happy they are working on breaking the stigma about mental health. So many people in my family, several close friends and myself have struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. When I started to have symptoms in high school I was terrified because I thought I was alone and that no one would understand what I was going through- because it was never spoken about. I have received medical help and use many tools I have learned along the way to keep my symptoms at bay. I live an amazing life and am a productive member of society.
This taboo reminds me of the stigma about women’s’ cancers until recently. People didn’t talk about breast cancer, cervical cancer or ovarian cancer. Whether it was because they dealt with “private parts” or had uncomfortable names, these illnesses were fought in silence. No one blinks about them today.
I hope as a society we can all work together to bring mental health issues into the light. It would do us all a great amount of understanding and hope.