“Get over it, it’s not that bad.”
“That’s just your addiction talking.”
“You don’t look depressed.”
“It’s just in your head.”
Stigmas surrounding mental health and substance use are deeply rooted in cultural, societal, and historical misconceptions. Too often, mental health issues are perceived as personal weaknesses, while substance use disorders are viewed as moral failings. While completely unfounded, these misinterpretations and stereotypes can cause people living with these conditions to feel shame, hide their struggles, and avoid seeking treatment.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re committed to helping break the stigma and transform the conversation surrounding mental health and substance use disorder.
During last week’s NatCon25 – the largest conference in mental health and substance use hosted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing – we invited attendees to take photos in front of a butterfly mural at our booth that emphasized messages of encouragement and hope:
“Choose hope over stigma.”
“Mental health is essential health.”
“Embrace your strengths, not your struggles.”
“Your story is just beginning.”
“You are never alone.”
The mural (and conference) provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with many other professionals and organizations that share this common goal of rewriting the script. Now, it’s your turn. If you want to help transform the conversation around mental health and substance use, here are a few ways to get started.
Educate yourself and others.
It’s important to understand that mental health and substance use disorders require the same level of attention, treatment, understanding, and support as any other health condition.
Organizations like the National Council, Mental Health America (MHA), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have hundreds of educational resources. Here are a few to get started:
- Mental Health by the Numbers (NAMI)
- Combatting Stigma with Knowledge (SAMHSA)
- Why Stigma Matters (MakeItOK.org)
- Key Language Principles for Substance Use Disorder (National Council)
- Mental Health: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness (Mayo Clinic)
Advocate for essential resources.
Our Chief Clinical Advisor Dr. Jorge Petit recently published a post, “The Future of Mental Health Is on the Line—We Must Protect It,” detailing five ways to participate in protecting critical behavioral health resources and infrastructure that are now at stake.
As Jorge says, “I believe in a future where mental health is a human right. Where care is accessible, integrated, dignified, and culturally responsive. Where no one falls through the cracks. But we won’t get there by talking about these issues once a year—we must fight for it—every day.”
Support stigma-busting organizations and campaigns.
There’s no shortage of organizations focused on awareness, education, and support that you can volunteer for or engage with, both during and after Mental Health Month.
A couple of our partners with this focus include:
- Zero Overdose, an organization dedicated to reducing overdose events and deaths by expanding access to overdose safety planning and education for individuals and communities at risk.
- Stop Stigma Now, a group of professionals affiliated with opioid use disorder (OUD) research or treatment, and people with lived experience and their families, dedicated to ending the harmful stigma affecting medication treatment of people with OUD.
Spread the word.
Download and share the images below featuring words of encouragement from our mural. Together, let’s break the stigma and transform the conversation.
