Mental and substance-abuse disorders are prevalent. They are also among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in our country. Worldwide they are leading causes of suffering and death.
About 20% of Americans will experience a mental health problem or substance abuse issue in their lifetime. Yet only a small percentage will seek treatment. For example, in 2013 only 10% of those who needed treatment for a problem related to drugs or alcohol received any treatment.
What we know about stigma is that it occurs on three levels:
- Structural – laws and policies
- Social-group attitudes and behaviors
- Internal – the way we think about others and ourselves when suffering from mental health issues
There are 100s if not 1,000s of organizations dedicating efforts to remove stigma, yet there has not to date been national coordination.
I am honored to share that I have been selected by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute to spearhead a multi-year national campaign that will be a home base for eliminating stigma across the United States. You can read a little more about it and see a 3-minute video from our first event, in which I appear, here. The video is at the bottom of the page.
If you would like to stay in the loop or want to figure out how to participate, drop me a line by replying to this email. Otherwise, you can count on periodic updates.
What cause is close to your heart and how might you take action on it in the week ahead?
“The problem with the stigma around mental health is really about the stories that we tell ourselves as a society. What is normal? That’s just a story that we tell ourselves.” – Matthew Quick
