•October 26, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

October 10 was World Mental Health Day, and although it has passed, I still wanted to share this article written by Extension Educator Emily Schoenfelder because of its importance. Having lived experience with mental health challenges myself and with loved ones, I feel it is vital to raise awareness around mental health issues. It is good to encourage everyone – in our communities, our workplaces, and our homes – to make mental health and well-being a priority. So how can you help?
Well, one of the biggest barriers to addressing mental health issues is stigma. Mental health stigma, or negative perceptions around mental health issues and those affected by them, can create lasting damage. This stigma can come from external sources, or it can be internalized as negative self-talk or personal beliefs. It can cause those affected to feel shame and loneliness, suffer from bullying and discrimination, and become less likely to seek or stick with treatment. Luckily, there are easy ways that you and your family can take a stand against stigma:     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.