Your brain is an organ just like every single other one in your body. Why should you feel any different about taking care of it than you would if you needed to see a doctor for your heart or, say, your digestive system? The shame around mental health and healthcare has come a long way, but there’s still a long way to go.

Mental health concerns affect millions of people and none of them should feel bad about seeking assistance. Still not convinced? Check out the statistics below.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Here are some numbers to put things in perspective, courtesy of Mental Health America:

• 46% of Americans will be qualified as “diagnosable” with a mental health condition at some point in their life. More than half will have those conditions by age 14.
• About 1 in 5 Americans are faced with a diagnosable medical condition each year.
• More than 44 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with some type of mental illness.
• Nearly 42.5 million adults in the U.S. have anxiety disorders, making them the most common mental illness in the country.

As you can see, you are not alone when you are facing mental health concerns. It doesn’t matter whether it’s anxiety, depression, addiction, or any other issue- what matters is getting the right assistance.

Be Your Best Advocate

This is YOUR health and wellbeing. Regardless of what you were told in the past or what you think now, you need to stand up and advocate for yourself. Part of reducing the stigma comes in allowing yourself to get the help that you need and that’s easier than ever with teletherapy and other online self-care solutions.

https://www.mhanational.org/mentalhealthfacts