West River Eagle

Talking about mental health raises awareness, reduces stigma



Anyone can be affected by mental illness, whatever their age, culture, level of education or career attainment, or financial success. In fact, there is a good chance each of us knows someone who is struggling with mental illness since one in five of us will experience a mental health challenge in a given year, and an estimated 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder during their lifetime.

“So why aren’t we talking about it?” asks Kristen Bell, an American actress and singer, who poses this very astute question for consideration during May, Mental Health Awareness Month.

Whatever our cultural heritage, reducing stigma associated with mental illness must be an urgent priority in order to prevent and relieve unnecessary suffering. According to NAMI, stigma is when someone views a person in a negative way just because they have a mental health condition.

According The Permenente Journal, Indigenous people as a whole are at a greater risk than any other ethno-racial group for experiencing traumatic life events than the general population and are twice as likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when compared with the general population. 

On the positive side, many Native tribes embrace a worldview that encompasses the concepts of connectedness (with the past and with others), strong family bonds, adaptability, oneness with nature, wisdom of elders, meaningful traditions, and a strong spirit. These ideas may serve as protective factors when it comes to mental health, according to research published by the American Psychiatric Association.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Native/Indigenous people in America report experiencing serious psychological distress 2.5 times more than the general population over a month’s time. Also, the CDC reports that the suicide death rate for Indigenous people in the United States between the ages of 15-19 is more than double that of non-Hispanic whites.

People experiencing mental health conditions often face rejection, bullying and discrimination. The isolation, blame and secrecy encouraged by stigma creates huge barriers to reaching out, receiving crucial care and getting better. 

Nearly 50 million Americans currently experience mental illness, and many suffer in silence because of the stigma associated with mental illness and mental disorders. Mental health conditions are the leading cause of disability across the United States. Even though most people can be successfully treated, less than half of the adults in the U.S. who need services and treatment get the help they need. Sadly, the average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years.

According to The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mental Health Awareness Month was started in 1949 to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and to encourage those who need help to seek it. NAMI has continued to honor Mental Health Awareness Month each May. as do numerous other mental health support organizations. 

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Month 2022 is “Together for Mental Health.” The idea behind the theme is for all the people of the world to combine their voices to advocate for mental health care and access to mental health services.  

According to Inclusivv (www.inclusivv.co), an on-line platform that brings people together for conversations that matter, mental health issues are a part of the human experience, but typically people don’t talk about them. This culture of silence can further isolate those who are suffering when they most need and deserve connection, understanding and support.

According to NAMI, fifteen years ago, a U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health—the first and only one to date—identified stigma as a public health concern that leads peoples to “avoid living, socializing or working with, renting to, or employing” individuals with mental illness. 

Because of stigma, people living with mental health conditions are:

– Alienated and seen as “others.”

– Perceived as dangerous.

– Seen as irresponsible or unable to make their own decisions.

– Less likely to be hired.

– Less likely to get safe housing.

– More likely to be criminalized than offered health care services.

– Afraid of rejection to the point that they don’t always pursue opportunities.

Perhaps even worse, individuals living with mental illness often internalize the stigma that exists in our culture, confusing feeling bad with being bad and damaging hopes for recovery. Too often people take their own lives because no one tells them that they’re not alone, they can recover and there is hope.

To change this, NAMI is asking everyone to take the Stigma Free Pledge at www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Pledge-to-Be-StigmaFree/StigmaFree-Me/StigmaFree-Pledge . After taking the pledge individuals can then consider ways to live Stigma Free in daily life. One way is by being aware of the language one uses or by deciding to learn more about mental illness.

“Mental Health Awareness Month is important because so many times (mental health) gets overlooked unless something really major happens, like a death by suicide or a celebrity having some sort of a breakdown,” according to mental health advocate and author Achea Redd. “Mental health …deserves to be put on the forefront just like the other illnesses we recognize throughout the year. The more we put it out front, the less stigma and the more normalized it becomes.”

Very succinctly, actor Glenn Close says, “What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.”

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