breaking mental health stigma

in this article:

• what is mental health stigma?
• why is it important to break the stigma? 
• 4 ways to break the stigma
• more resources to break the stigma

Since On Our Sleeves began, we’ve talked a lot about breaking the stigma around mental health. But what does that phrase really mean? 

"We never know what battle someone else is fighting or what trauma someone has experienced in their life. But stigma (which is negative attitudes or beliefs about mental health) can make it harder for people to get help," explains  Emily Weitz, a children’s mental health expert with On Our Sleeves.

“We don’t need to do anything big or complicated to break stigma. It starts with small, thoughtful steps to help make the world a kinder place,” says Emily. 

Let’s talk more about what stigma looks like and how we can break it together. 

what is mental health stigma?

Mental health stigma is fueled by a lack of understanding of what someone else is going through or deals with on an everyday basis. It can look like: 

• Believing negative opinions and/or thoughts about a person who struggles with a mental health challenge.  
• Believing that someone experiencing a mental health challenge is “less than,” “lazy,” “unstable,” or “weak.” 
• Believing that mental health challenges only affect specific cultures or socioeconomical levels and would never affect you or your loved ones. 

why is it important for us to break the stigma? 

When stigma exists, it may cause someone to:  

• Avoid reaching out for help. 
• Feel guilt or shame. 
• Isolate or withdraw from social events and friends, miss school, get lower grades, or lose motivation/interest. 

Breaking mental health stigma makes this a better world for us all! 

how do we break the stigma? 

The good news is we can all break the stigma! When we understand mental health better, we can support others, challenge harmful beliefs, and create a world where everyone feels safe asking for help.  

Here are four simple ways that you can break the stigma for children’s mental health from our On Our Sleeves experts! 

4 ways to break the stigma 

1. Have conversations:  

Stigma is fueled by a lack of understanding of what someone else is going through or deals with on an everyday basis. Taking time to have conversations with others about mental health can help give you a better understanding of mental health. You can do this by:  

• Listening to others: Taking the time to talk with and listen to someone who has lived experience of mental health challenges about their struggles and also how it has made them more resilient. 
• Sharing your feelings: Talking with others about your own feelings and life struggles is  a way to break the stigma. The more you talk about your feelings, the more you will normalize it for those around you.  

2. Be kind and use respectful language:  

Being kind and respectful is one easy way you can help someone on their journey and what we say matters. There are ways to use your words in a way that breaks stigma and uplifts others!  

• Use person first and non-stigmatizing language such as: 
  • “A person living with bipolar” instead of “She is so bipolar” 
  • “Mental health challenge” instead of “crazy” or “weird” 
  • “They died by suicide” instead of “they committed suicide.” 
• Just be kind! 
  • We won't always know who could be struggling with a mental health challenge but if we try to treat all people with kindness, we can be a support for someone regardless of what they are going through.  

3. Educate yourself about mental health.  

Getting a better understanding of mental health can help to stop the stigma. A great way to start is by taking an educational course like QPR Gatekeeper training or youth mental health first aid: 

• QPR Gatekeeper training (60 minute online course):  
  • QPR training,  much like CPR,  is an emergency response to someone who is experiencing a crisis. The mission of this lifesaving training is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training.  
  • If you are local to Dayton Children’s, we offer a free 60-minute virtual QPR Gatekeeper training. This self-paced training is  available online for anyone who wishes to enroll and can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here for more information.  
• Youth Mental Health First Aid ( 4- 6 hours, virtual or in-person options)  
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid is an interactive class teaching how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among kids (12-18). 
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid is offered virtually (4 hours) or in person (6 hours) and is available at least once a month. Click here for more information.  

4. Be a champion for mental health: 

• Stand up for others: Speak up when you hear people making negative comments about mental health struggles or people with a mental health challenge. 
• Be a good role model : Set the example for our children on how to treat others by showing compassion and support. Have conversations with your children about mental health struggles and how we can support others.   

explore more On Our Sleeves resources 

Breaking the stigma can be a life long journey that we do together! If you're looking for more ways to support your child's mental wellness, we invite you to join the On Our Sleeves e-community for more free, expert-created resources!

Our mission is to provide as many caring adults as possible with tools to understand and promote children’s mental health. By joining us, you'll get monthly resources, expert advice, and first access to special giveaways—like our Activity Book and Conversation Starter Cards.

Click the orange button below to sign up and be part of the movement to support kids' mental wellness and break the stigma around mental health!

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