People with mental illness have a hard time accessing mental health care, especially compared to physical health care.
In fact, worldwide, more than 70 percent of individuals with mental illness do not receive any mental health treatment.
When it comes to behavioral health care, the term “stigma” is often used to describe the shame or embarrassment some people feel about mental illness.
Therefore, addressing stigma is important because the very concept of shame makes it difficult for many individuals with mental illness to seek help.
For decades, mental health has been a taboo topic.
We can talk about a family member’s cancer, for example, but not about the depression that keeps a loved one from going to work or the anxiety that makes it difficult for that person to leave the house.