Why is it normal to talk to friends about seeing a doctor for a sore throat but not to talk to them about seeing a therapist because of a mental health concern? Why do we feel more comfortable talking to someone about their physical health but not their mental health? Why do we avoid talking to others about their substance use but feel comfortable commenting on the food they eat? These social norms based around stigma against mental illness and substance use disorder can get in the way of us supporting others during their most vulnerable time. You can help change these social norms by normalizing conversations about mental health and addiction. Maybe you start speaking openly about your own mental health struggles or start a conversation with family, friends or coworkers about their mental health. Normalizing conversations about mental health and addiction makes it easier for individuals who are struggling to talk to others and seek needed support. Talking about mental health and addiction can save lives. The resources below are designed to give you the tools you need to increase your confidence in navigating these conversations so that you can help others feel safe in sharing their own mental health or substance use concerns as well.

Learn More

READ:

How to Have Conversations about Mental Health

Read the short article Talking About Mental Health to learn about the words you can use to communicate compassion in conversations about mental health.

Tips for How to Talk about Substance Use

Review the 10 tips on Mental Health America’s webpage for how to talk to someone about their addiction.

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WATCH:

Tools for Conversations about Mental Health

Watch the 4-minute video The Awkward Conversation and the 1-minute video Conversation Starters to learn tools to initiate and respond to conversations about mental health in order to communicate support to your friends and family.

Take Action

Have a Check-In Chat with a Friend or Family Member

Use this guide for Check-In Chats to talk to someone in your life who you are concerned about.

Question of the Day

What do other people do that helps you the most when you’re having a poor mental health day? How can you help other people in a similar way?

Join the Discussion

Click Here to Record Your Activities for the Day

The challenge is designed to spur change – in mindsets, behaviors, opportunities and practices. Please help us keep track of how individuals are engaging with the 21-Day Stigma Challenge resources and actions. Each action you take, each resource you review, will add a ticket in your name to the drawing for one of five $100 gift cards at the end of the challenge.

Engagement Tracking Form

Do You Want To Learn More? Check Out These Additional Resources:

Get Past Assumptions & Connect

Watch Dan Berstein’s Tedx Talk about his journey to being open with his bipolar disorder, and how conflict resolution skills can help us overcome barriers to having conversations about mental health.

How to have a Mental Health Conversation with Youth

Check out the Do’s and Don’ts of Mental Health Conversations, created by Wellbeings.org. This guide provides helpful language tools and guidance for discussing mental health concerns with youth.

Spread The Word!