Since launching the Heads Together campaign to encourage conversations surrounding mental health, the British royal family has been refreshingly outspoken on the stigma that can accompany mental illness.
On Tuesday, Kate Middleton gave a speech that nailed the issue of why people don't always seek help for mental health problems.
According to People, the duchess, Prince William, and Prince Harry came together for a briefing at the London's Institute of Contemporary Arts to outline more plans for Heads Together, and once again shone a light on mental health issues.
"The challenge that so many people have is not knowing how to take that first step of reaching out to another person for help," the duchess said during her speech. "Admitting that they are not coping. Fear, or reticence, or a sense of not wanting to burden another, means that people suffer in silence — allowing the problem to grow larger and larger unchecked."
Unfortunately, she's right — though we now live in a world where many celebrities are working to end the stigma against mental health, many of us can still feel shamed for our mental health problems. In fact, according to the CDC, only 25% of adults with mental health symptoms believed that people are caring and sympathetic to those with mental illness. And if you don't believe that people are caring and sensitive to your problems, it makes it that much more difficult to admit to having those problems in the first place.
Hopefully, the royal family's efforts to open up conversations about mental health will gradually lessen the unnecessary shame that surrounds it and encourage people to seek help when they need it.
If you are experiencing anxiety and are in need of crisis support, please call the Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.
If you are experiencing depression and need support, please call the National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Hotline at 1-800-826-3632 or the Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.
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