Mental Illness Awareness Week: #IAmStigmaFree
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) spends the first full week of October fighting stigma, offering support, educating the public and advocating for equal care for those living with a mental health condition. While these are a year round focus for them, this week highlights mental illness awareness and 2015 marks its 25th anniversary. #IAmStigmaFree This year’s theme revolves around building momentum through the new StigmaFree initiative. Being stigma free means: learning about and educating others on mental illness focusing 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. Did you know… 1 in every 5 adults – 43.7 million – in America experiences a mental illness. 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Nearly 1 in 25 adults – approximately 13.6 million –in America live with a serious mental illness.[1] Mental Illness Awareness Week encourages people to come together to improve the lives of the tens of millions of Americans affected by mental illness. How can you get involved? You can learn how to spread awareness this week on the …