Two people simply talking - one living with mental illness and another without it - will go a long way to reduce stigma around mental illness.
Researchers found this after looking at studies from Canada, the U.K. and New Zealand to understand ways to reduce that stigma.
Public education campaigns, they found, are not that effective and sometimes, do more harm than good.
Some suggest that nothing good comes from people with mental illnesses. Others show that mental health challenges aren't necessarily treatable.
Initiatives that encouraged people to come together and talk about mental illness greatly helped those living with it. Sharing their stories empowered them, improved their self-esteem, and helped them thrive.
People with mental illnesses and their families often hide their conditions to avoid prejudice and discrimination.
This isn't healthy. People get isolated and are unable to cope.
For these open conversations to succeed, we must be all in - families, governments, and community organizations.
Original article:
Social contact key to overcoming mental health stigma
Original study:
Social Contact: Next Steps in an Effective Strategy to Mitigate the Stigma of Mental Illness