Dear Editor,

There is a virus spreading across America. It harms the 1 in 5 Americans affected by mental health conditions. It shames them into silence. It prevents them from seeking help. In some cases, it takes lives. What virus are we talking about? It’s stigma. Stigma against people with mental health conditions. But there’s good news. Stigma is 100% curable. Compassion, empathy and understanding are the antidote. Your voice can spread the cure.

May is Mental Health Month and Blue Mountain Counseling is raising awareness in the role mental health plays in our lives. We are here to remind you that people who have a mental illness…

Can and do live productive lives.

Recovery is different for everyone.

Have the same hopes, goals, and dreams as everyone else.

The consequences of stigma can be worse than the illness itself: it prevents people from seeking treatment, can lead to social isolation, lack of housing, inability to work, strained relationships, lack of health coverage, and lost educational opportunities.

Join Blue Mountain Counseling and NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness-together we can #CureStigma. Get tested at CureStigma.org.

For more information on Mental Health Awareness check us out on Facebook Blue Mountain Counseling; website BlueMtnCounseling.org or call us at 509-382-1164.

Melinda Guthrie

Blue Mountain Counseling

Dayton