Mental illness is an issue that effects millions of people! One in five Americans struggle with mental health related issues. One in 20 Americans live with serious mental illness including schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, or recurrent major depression.

Despite the fact that we are able to talk more openly about mental health, tragically, people continue to avoid seeking treatment due to stigma and discrimination. Our culture still perpetuates the belief that people suffering from mental illnesses are not intelligent, extremely violent, or incapable of making decisions that profoundly impact their lives.

Researchers identify different types of stigma:

• Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others may have about mental illness.

• Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes, including internalized shame, that people with mental illness may have about their own condition.

• Structural stigma is more systemic, involving policies of government and private organizations that intentionally or unintentionally limit opportunities for people with mental illness. Examples include lower funding for mental illness research or fewer mental health services relative to other health care