May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. 60 million Americans–nearly 1 in 5–are affected by mental health conditions.
The stigma that is still all too often associated with mental health issues can be a barrier to those impacted from reaching out for help or even admitting they are struggling. This can be dangerous and even lead to death.
We may not be able to cure mental illness, but we can take action in our daily lives to stop the damage caused by stigma. Please read the following excerpt from nami.org to find out what you can do.
“There’s a virus spreading across America. It shames them into silence. It prevents them from seeking help. And in some cases, it takes lives. What virus are we talking about? It’s stigma. Stigma against people with mental health conditions. But there’s good news. Stigma is 100% curable. Compassion, empathy and understanding are the antidote. Your voice can spread the cure. Join NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Together we can #CureStigma.”
Click here for a wonderful post by Mary Giliberti, the CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The Compassion Project: Let us be the ones who transform our world by allowing compassion to lead our action. Throughout the year, this column will feature the various ways to have compassion for others, for our specific organization, and for yourself.
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