Mental Illness Awareness Week, observed each October, exists because stigma still keeps many people from seeking help they need and deserve. Roughly one in five adults experiences a mental health condition in a given year, yet misconceptions about what that means often prevent people from reaching out early, when treatment tends to be most effective.
Where stigma still shows up
Stigma is not always loud or obvious. It can look like someone downplaying their own symptoms because they do not want to seem weak, a family member suggesting a loved one should just “snap out of it,” or a workplace culture where taking time for a mental health appointment feels riskier than taking time for a physical one. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward changing them.
Language and understanding help
Using accurate, non-judgmental language when talking about mental health, whether depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or any other condition, helps normalize the idea that these are medical conditions with real, effective treatments. The more these conversations happen openly, at home, at work, and in communities, the less power stigma holds.
Southeast Healthcare’s approach
Southeast’s Behavioral Health Services team provides trauma-informed, evidence-based care to patients across our eight-county service area, treating mental health needs with the same seriousness and respect given to any other medical need. Because care is integrated with Primary Care Services, patients do not have to choose between addressing physical symptoms and emotional ones.
If you are ready to talk with someone, find your nearest location or call (614) 225-0990. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org any time, day or night.