​New Initiative Launches Inspiring Pledge for Mental Health Awareness Week

Share this news:

A leading health and wellness company has released this free release in support of Mental Health Awareness Week and those who are struggling with the challenges of mental illness. Read more here.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, has launched the Annual Mental Illness Awareness Week, MHAW, an initiative originally designated by Congress in 1990, which is dedicated to education and increased awareness of the challenges and progress that surround mental illness.


This year’s MHAW has a new powerful and meaningful theme – Stigma Free – intended to help communities learn about “educating others on mental illness and focus on connecting with people to see each other as individuals and not a diagnosis, and most importantly taking action on mental health issues and taking the StigmaFree pledge”. NAMI encourages everyone to participate and take the pledge #IAmStigmaFree, with open enrollment available on their website.


Dr. Robert Glatter, contributor for Forbes Magazine, recently wrote an informative article dedicated to MHAW and the Stigma Free movement. His comments sum up the importance of acceptance and compassion behind the idea of removing the stigma of mental health, “Research, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, indicates that harboring stigma has quite a negative effect on those afflicted with mental illness, and often delays the process of coping as well as healing. If affected persons feel that they are being treated as outsiders or outcasts, this can exacerbate depression and increase the risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide itself.”


Pointing out a negative side of human nature associated with bias toward mental illness, Dr. Glatter says, “People develop biases related to their understanding or ideas. These biases, however – often based on life experiences and family teaching – do not mean that their beliefs are justified. A person’s life experience generally dictates their thoughts and beliefs toward someone, but it’s important to question why we judge and label a person simply based on their diagnosis.”


Dr. Glatter adds that stigma still exists in and agrees that this initiative is a good reminder for the nation to change previous attitudes toward mental health. He made an effective comparison between mental illness and other diseases for which people need medication to “control symptoms and prevent a worsening of their condition” saying, “Those who are stigmatized because of having a mental illness may feel that they are inferior to others, weaker, or less worthy – but that’s just not the case.”


Bob Maclaren, spokesperson for a leading health and wellness company agrees, “Disease can be broken down into ‘dis-ease’, which also means the absence of, or opposite of ‘ease’. People with mental health disease have challenges that, as Dr. Glatter points out, can be treated, and those challenges can often be replaced with the ability to function with more ‘ease’ and success. Removing the stigma of mental health disease is an initiative everyone should welcome and support. People should have no fear of seeking out the help they need for any illness, if we put our energy into helping and not into judging, I believe we could see a positive change in the mental health epidemic we have today.”


Those interested in learning more should visit http://www.biomazingremedies.com/mental-health-awareness-week.


Release ID: 93300