The importance of and demand for mental health services is discussed everywhere: in news headlines, media copy, books, podcasts, and even workplaces. While recent years have shown an improvement in public sentiments around mental health, stigma around getting help still persists in many forms. One recent study found that prejudices and discrimination surrounding depression, for example, greatly declined between 1996 and 2006, but negative beliefs around other conditions like schizophrenia or alcohol dependency persist.

Weathering the stigmas around mental health can be difficult and discouraging, but with the right tools, you can protect your well-being and resist feelings of shame. Below are some strategies for managing and overcoming mental health stigmas so you can receive the support you deserve.

Read More: Needing a Little Inspiration? Check Out These Empowering Mental Health Quotes

Know Your Enemy: What Is Stigma?

In order to make mental healthcare most accessible, you must first combat the biggest barrier to mental health: stigma. This is the “negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes people may hold towards those who experience mental health conditions,” which can also include negative attitudes or even discriminatory behaviors surrounding mental health in general.

If you’re thinking you don’t have any ingrained negative attitudes against mental health, you may not know how to identify them. Mental health stigmas exist in many forms, like the following:

• Structural stigma means the laws, regulations, and policies that limit access to mental health resources and infringe on people’s health rights. For example, before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers could fire someone simply for having a mental health condition, which is now considered illegal.
• Public stigma means negative or harmful attitudes from individuals or groups of people about mental health conditions or care (which can include families or healthcare providers). One example of this is if your friend witnesses someone experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder and calls them “crazy” or “insane” rather than acknowledging their medical condition.
• Self-stigma stems from the person living with a mental health condition. If you’re struggling with your mental health, you might feel shame or blame yourself for these feelings, which can be harmful to your well-being. For example, this could look like negative self-talk, like saying to yourself, “It’s my fault I’m dealing with depression, so it’s not worth getting help.”

But how exactly is stigma a barrier? The effects of mental health stigma are multi-fold. Negative and shameful opinions surrounding mental health can do the following:

• Discourage people from seeking the help they deserve
• Discourage empathy for and support of people dealing with mental health conditions
• Limit people’s access to housing, jobs, insurance, or social experiences
• Encourage violence and discrimination against people with mental health conditions
• Harm individuals’ self-worth and confidence

Read More: If You Want to Advocate for Mental Health, Stop Using These Phrases

Who Suffers the Most?

Anyone can feel shame surrounding mental health and needing help. Some groups of people, in particular, weather the effects of stigmas based on cultural, generational, and economic factors. For example, men are less likely to seek support for mental health conditions, meaning men’s mental health needs often go untreated and can lead to depression and suicide – the leading cause of death among men. Additionally, veterans and military personnel often do not receive mental health care and suffer from untreated conditions.

Combating shame around mental health is crucial for everyone, but recognizing populations most at risk for mental health barriers makes getting the support you and your loved ones deserve that much easier.

Ways to Overcome Stigma

Overcoming mental health stigmas might sound like a significant feat, but little actions make a big difference. Knowing where and how stigmas present themselves is the first step, but taking action is the next. Here are a few places you can start:

Education Is King

The best way you can combat mental health stigmas is to educate yourself and others. As the World Health Organization notes, “Stigma is often framed in terms of mental health literacy. By correcting misinformation about mental health conditions, the theory goes, you reduce prejudice and make it less likely for someone to discriminate.” Improving your knowledge base and awareness equips you to help others, including organizations and communities, do the same and shut down harmful beliefs about mental health.

Talk Openly

The more you confide in others and share your mental health experiences, the easier it is to push past feelings of embarrassment and support others. By talking openly and honestly about mental health, you can normalize mental health treatment and choose empowerment over shame.

Lead With Compassion and Equality

Reducing stigma means increasing understanding. By advocating for compassionate, equal access to mental health, you can reduce the shame that keeps people from getting help.

Put Yourself First

Removing barriers to mental health increases access for everyone – including yourself! Prioritizing your well-being is the best form of self-love, and therapists are there to help.

Read More: Not Sure If It’s Time to Go to Therapy? We Can Help

Seeking Help Is the Answer

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Actually, it can be comforting to know that you can’t do everything alone, and humans thrive on supporting one another. Seeking support from a therapist or counselor means you prioritize your well-being and want tools to feel better. Keep the following in mind if feelings of self-doubt creep in:

• It is not weak to ask for support
• You don’t have to do everything independently all the time
• You aren’t a victim: you’re an advocate for yourself

Addressing the barriers to mental health will forge the way for a more equitable, accepting, healthier future, and little steps make a huge impact in breaking down stigmas. Find the right therapist for you through GoodTherapy and know that you are not alone: there is help for you.

Resources:

Why It’s so Hard to Ask for Help

World Health Organization

National Library of Medicine: Men and Mental Stigma

Americans With Disabilities Act

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Mental Health Stigma

National Library of Medicine: Trends in Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the US, 1999-2018

6 Celebrity Mental Health Advocates (and What They’re Up To)

People of all ages look up to celebrities and give special attention to their opinions and influence. Some public figures choose to use their platforms to talk about issues that aren’t necessarily a part of the work that made them famous but deeply matter to them. When a celebrity uses their platform to advocate for mental health, they can influence thousands, if not millions. Here are some great, recent examples of celebrity mental health advocates using their privilege to destigmatize mental health concerns. 

General Mental Health

Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge

A mental health initiative launched by The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Prince William and Princess Katherine), Heads Together aims to destigmatize mental health concerns and advocate for positive mental health. Last summer, Heads Together and the Football Authority (FA) partnered to create a national campaign around the sport called Heads Up. The goal (if you’ll pardon the pun) was to normalize conversations about men’s mental health in particular. The effects have been felt internationally. The Duke has been front and center in this effort. 

Miley Cyrus

Amid this pandemic, Miley Cyrus understands and is advocating for individuals struggling with their mental health. In order to destigmatize seeking help, she recorded a one-on-one call with her therapist and shared it on Instagram, where she has over 100 million followers. This is where the original concept for her new show, Bright Minded, was born. In her IGTV show, Cyrus and her guests discuss how to stay high-spirited in these uncertain times.

Eating Disorders, Body Dysmorphia, Depression

Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil is an actress most famous for her role in The Good Place, where she acted the part of Tahani Al-Jamil. With millions of followers on Instagram, Jamil has dedicated herself to advocating for those battling eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and depression. She created an online community and hosts a podcast, both called I WEIGH, which center on radical inclusivity and “weighing” our value by metrics other than bodyweight. Jamil has been extremely candid about her own struggles with an eating disorder. She aims to normalize and destigmatize these struggles and be an advocate so that people feel comfortable talking about them and seeking help.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall is a former American football wide receiver and current sports TV personality who played 13 seasons in the NFL. He is now an active mental health advocate. In a field like sports, mental health concerns carry a deep stigma. Men, in particular, are expected to be tough, both physically and emotionally. Marshall has used his platform to open up about mental health stigma and how he battled to be candid about his own struggles. He has written about his own Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis and his relief at finally being diagnosed. Marshall is a huge advocate for seeking answers and treatment for mental health concerns. 

Anxiety, Depression

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is best known for his success in Olympic swimming, but he is also a decorated advocate for mental health. After opening up about his struggles with depression and anxiety in 2015, he said that he “dreamed of being able to get more publicity to this and to really share my journey and have other people share their journeys with me as well.” His vulnerability is changing the way people think about mental health, especially for high-performers. For his mental health advocacy, he received the Ruderman Award in 2019, which is given to individuals passionate about providing opportunities for others. Phelps regularly speaks out about seeking mental health care and his own struggles, including his mental health challenges during the pandemic, to destigmatize mental health concerns and normalize reaching out for help. 

Bipolar

Glenn Close

Glenn Close is most known as the seven-time academy award-nominated actress and Broadway performer. Close has become a well-known advocate for mental health after a life-long journey with her sister, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2004. Close advocates for access to treatment and encourages people to seek treatment for mental health concerns. Her sisters’ journey inspired Glenn to launch Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) in 2021, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization working to change attitudes about mental illness through public education and partnerships.

If you’re ready to reach out for help, you can search by your zip code and filter your results by Common Specialties to find a therapist near you who can help you address your mental health concerns. To see the full list of Common Specialties, expand the list by clicking “More…” and then check the “All other issues” box.