Announcing the #BreakTheStigma Campaign
This May, Mental Health America (MHA) is celebrating 65 years of Mental Health Month observances by launching a B4Stage4 campaign focused on improving public awareness of mental illness—from prevention to diagnosis to recovery. MHA urges the public to address the first signs of mental illness rather than waiting until “Stage 4,” when symptoms are more severe. As part of this initiative, Counseling@Northwestern is addressing a significant barrier that prevents individuals from seeking help in the early stages: social stigmas. These negative attitudes and stereotypical beliefs about those who have mental health conditions are all too common and can deter individuals from seeking treatment in the early stages. For this reason, we are launching the #BreakTheStigma campaign this May to celebrate organizations, counseling experts, and mental health advocates who are working to raise awareness around mental illness and effectively eliminating these stereotypes.
This May, Counseling@Northwestern will feature more than 45 mental health organizations that are spearheading initiatives to break social stigmas surrounding mental illness within our society. Whether their scope of focus spans from suicide prevention, addiction and recovery, or eating disorder awareness, we will recognize these individuals and organizations for their leadership in the field. We hope you will join us in celebrating them!
Get involved in the #BreakTheStigma Campaign this May:
- Tweet us @CounselingatNU and tell us how you’re breaking the stigma using the hashtag #Breakthestigma.
- Upload a picture of yourself to your favorite social media platform with a written message about how you are breaking the stigma.
- Promote someone breaking the stigma in your community by sharing their work with us on Twitter.
Join us for our #BreaktheStigma Tweet chat!
What:
Join a live conversation on Twitter to discuss the ways stigmas prevent individuals from seeking help. We will also get recommendations from experts on how we can help to break them.
When:
Tuesday, May 12 5 p.m. PT, 8 p.m. ET
Who:
This virtual event is open to the public. Experts, advocates, and individuals interested in early-intervention initiatives for mental illness and raising awareness are encouraged to participate.
Join us and a community of advocates to discuss the following:
- What types of mental illness stigmas and common misconceptions exist?
- Why do stigmas prevent individuals from seeking help?
- Who are the leaders in the field who are raising awareness about mental illness?
- What recommendations do experts have for individuals who want to make a difference in their community?
- Share how YOU are breaking the stigmas around mental health!