Suicide Prevention Month: Breaking the Stigma: Open Conversations About Mental Health

Check out the featured post and read more here: https://www.ibelieve.com/health-beauty/open-conversations-about-mental-health.html

“Are you sure you really need counseling?” 

Those are the first words I remember hearing when I debated seeing a therapist for my mental health. Despite the stigma that “only crazy people go to counseling,” I think counseling saved me from just that—losing my mind. Research shows I’m not the only one. 

While counseling doesn’t fix everything, it’s one of the many tools God’s given us here on earth to help aid a hurting generation. If we don’t break this stigma around mental health, however, fewer people will engage with its practices. 

Today, Millennials and Gen Z report more mental health issues than previous generations. Barna finds that more than 50% of all mental disorders show signs of symptoms by age fourteen and 75% by twenty-five. Yet less than 20% seek or find help in the Church because they perceive judgment. According to the University of California San Francisco, young adults (18–25) have the highest prevalence of any mental illness (AMI) (48%).

Suicide is merely one of the top mental health issues plaguing our nation. Since September marks Suicide Prevention Month, I thought we’d take the time to unpack some myths, explore the importance of discussing mental health openly, and discuss how reducing stigma can encourage individuals to seek help.