Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a month-long series that has highlighted local mental health resources, community efforts, and practical ways residents can support wellbeing during Mental Health Month and beyond.
Reflecting on the final week of Mental Health Month and the theme “More Good Days, Together,” this weekly column has served as a reminder of what is possible when we reflect, connect, and come together as a community.
We all have the power to make steps towards positive mental health, and we also have the ability to make a significant difference in the lives of our neighbors. This work begins with recognizing everyone has mental health, and it exists on a continuum, often ranging from good to poor based on a variety of everyday experiences and circumstances.
Mental health challenges are not exclusive to any one person, family or community. In fact, it is estimated that one in five people in the United States will experience a mental health condition in any given year.
Chances are, someone you know or care for is currently navigating these challenges. Yet, despite how common mental health conditions are, stigmas persist.
Acknowledging and addressing mental health stigmas are essential because they can prevent our loved ones from seeking care, or cause them to delay or discontinue treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “stigma” is defined as the negative attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes that people may hold toward individuals experiencing mental health conditions. It is layered and can exist at multiple levels.
Self-stigma comes from within the individual experiencing a mental health condition, oftentimes leading them to believe they are flawed or even to blame for their condition.
Social stigma extends beyond the individual person and includes the societal attitudes and beliefs that mental health challenges are a sign of weakness or personal failure.
Structural stigma reflects the laws, regulations, and policies limiting the resources and rights of individuals living with mental health conditions.
When it comes to addressing mental health stigma, everyone can play a significant role in creating more good days together and building a community where people feel safe and supported when reaching out for help.
But what does it look like to actually challenge mental health stigma?
Reducing stigma is not an overnight process — it requires ongoing, intentional effort from all of us, and there are steps we can take every day to make a difference:
- Start with ourselves — Reflect on the beliefs we hold about mental health and how we talk about it.
Using person-first language helps center the individual at the heart of what we are trying to communicate, rather than the condition. This might look like saying “a person experiencing depression” or “a person in substance-use recovery.”
Small shifts in language can make a meaningful difference in how we view and treat others. Beyond that, shifting our language may make someone feel safe in reaching out for help.
- Create space for open dialogue — Encourage honest conversations about mental health in our homes, schools, workplaces and the broader community.
These conversations can happen in everyday moments. When we normalize these discussions, we increase the chance someone will feel safe reaching out for support.
- Build supportive environments — Consider the spaces we are part of, including workplaces, social groups, schools and faith communities.
Supportive environments go beyond conversations and focus on how we interact with others on a day-to-day basis. Supportive environments prioritize empathy, reduce judgment, and make it clear that seeking help is not only encouraged, but respected.
- Become familiar with the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force — Comprised of more than 150 members representing nearly 70 organizations, the task force envisions a community where all individuals are supported and equipped to achieve mental health wellbeing.
More information is available at https://mcbettercommunitiescoalition.org/taskforce/mental-health/.
- Advocate for change — Support policies and practices at the local, state and federal levels that improve access to care and protect the rights of individuals experiencing mental health conditions. Become familiar with your locally elected officials, and share how you would like to see mental health and wellness supported.
Morgan County is a strong community that has made meaningful strides in creating open dialogue around mental health, and it has the ability to become stronger through the small actions we take every day. Challenging mental health stigma is not always about having the right words, but rather creating space for honest conversation and connection to support our neighbors.
As we conclude Mental Health Month, I would like to leave you all with a challenge that extends beyond the month of May: Take one small action each day to offer support for yourself or someone else, because those small actions can create lasting change in building a community where no one feels alone in seeking support.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, please call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 and speak with a trained crisis specialist, or The Choices Emergency Mobile Team at 463-252-3765. More information is available at 988Indiana.org or in.gov/issp.
Jordyn Galyan is the Morgan County School Health Coordinator with Indiana University Health, Co-Chair of the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force Youth Board, and Board Member of the Morgan County Substance Abuse Council.
