Mental illness is common in America. In 2022, there were 59,300,000 Americans (23.1% of the adult population) with any type of mental illness. Prevalence rates vary a bit by ethnicity, age and gender, but the total number clearly represents a wide swath of Americans. While the prevalence of serious mental illness is less, at 6% of the population, getting care for any type of mental health condition can improve an individual’s quality of life. However, only about half of people with a mental illness receive treatment.
The discrepancy between the number diagnosed and the number getting treatment can, in part, be attributed to the stigma attached to mental illness. The public, self- and structural stigma attached to people with mental illness often results in lack of treatment and a variety of other negative outcomes:
- It can lessen self-esteem, causing people to believe that they can't succeed or make their life better
- It may make it difficult for family, friends, co-workers or others to understand the condition
- It can be harder for people to find jobs, find housing, go to school or do social activities
- It can lead to bullying, physical violence or harassment
- Health insurance may not cover treatment for mental health conditions or may only partly cover it
(From Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has an article discussing nine ways to fight mental health stigma. The nine methods mentioned in the article are below, with added links to specific, relevant resources that will further enhance your understanding.
- Talk Openly About Mental Health – “Supporting a Loved One Dealing with Mental and/of Substance Use Disorders: Starting the Conversation”
- Educate Yourself and Others – a School of Nursing team has put together a Mental Health Toolkit with a wide array of high quality information sources and tools to help you understand mental health.
- Be Conscious of Language
- Encourage Equality Between Physical and Mental Illness – “Parity of esteem: Addressing the inequalities between mental and physical healthcare”
- Show Compassion for Those with Mental Illness – “Tips For How to Help a Person with Mental Illness”
- Choose Empowerment Over Shame – “On the Self-Stigma of Mental Illness: Stages, Disclosure, and Strategies for Change”
- Be Honest About Treatment – “Never Be Ashamed of Seeking Help”
- Let the Media Know When They’re Being Stigmatizing – “Is mental health still misconstrued on screen?”
- Don’t Harbor Self-Stigma – “You are NOT Alone”
We hope these resources will ease your approach in talking with someone in your life about your mental health or who may be suffering from mental illness.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, and needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text 988.
