The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 20% of people live with a mental illness.

Mental and behavioral disorders are the 3rd-leading cause of disability in the U.S. That’s a lot and warrants special attention.

Not everyone recovers from mental illness. Many (here, I don’t have stats, but the 20% figure  —  and my own observations  —  suggests this is true), suffer their entire lives with mental illness, and an increasing number of people end their lives as a result. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. We need to help these people.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing, unquestionably, are important for everyone. But in the wellness industry’s well-meaning enthusiasm for covering everyone under the mental health umbrella, we must be sure not to marginalize the large portion of people experiencing mental illness.

If we do communicate that there’s no difference between someone with a common disabling mental illness  —  like PTSD, bipolar disorder, and anorexia nervosa, as well as severe depression and anxiety  —  compared to anyone else who may be going through a tough stretch in an otherwise smooth-sailing life, we risk perpetuating mental health stigma rather than alleviating it.

If you’re thinking about implementing a mental health strategy in your workplace, check out the Workplace Mental Health resources available here on the Jozito website.