Mental health professionals say reducing stigma through conversation is key during Mental Health Awareness Month, encouraging more people to seek support.
VAN BUREN, Ark — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, founded in 1949 to highlight the importance of mental health and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness.
According to mental health professionals, awareness remains critical, as 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year.
Experts say anxiety and depression are among the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions, though professionals also frequently treat bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and substance abuse disorders. Providers say co-occurring disorders are especially common, with mental health struggles and substance abuse often going hand in hand.
Saige Small, Crawford County Mental Health Treatment Court coordinator, says reducing stigma remains one of the profession’s most important goals.
“What I would love to see is always a reduction in stigma. That’s ultimately the goal. I think the way that we can do that is by sharing our stories, by talking to each other and becoming more open about our mental health struggles,” Small said.
Small says vulnerability can be difficult, but open communication is key to normalizing mental health challenges and helping people feel less isolated.
“We’re not made to do things alone, we’re not made to do life alone,” Small said. “We’re made for human connection. And so being able to see that is really, really powerful. So how do we reduce stigma? We talk about it, and that can be really scary, because it’s vulnerability, and vulnerability is terrifying.”
Small wants to remind those who are experiencing mental health challenges that asking for help is a sign of strength.
“Stepping forward and saying, ‘Hey, I’m struggling’ is not a sign of weakness. I think a lot of our stigma still says, ‘Oh, well, there’s something wrong with you,’ or, ‘you’re just not tough enough to handle it.’ That’s not true,” Small said. “So being able to step forward and say, ‘Hey, I’m really struggling with this,’ that’s a sign of strength.”