Know the facts –
- Educate yourself about mental health problems. Learn the facts instead of the myths.
Be aware of your attitudes and behavior –
- Most or maybe all of us have grown up with prejudices and judgmental thinking. But we can change the way we think. See people as unique human beings, not as labels or stereotypes. See the person beyond their mental illness; they have many other personal attributes that do not disappear just because they also have a mental illness.
Choose your words carefully –
- The way we speak can affect the way other people think and speak. Don’t use hurtful or derogatory language.
Educate others –
- Find opportunities to pass on facts and positive attitudes about people with mental health problems. If your friends, family, co-workers or even the media present information that is not true, challenge their myths and stereotypes. Let them know how their negative words and incorrect descriptions affect people with mental health problems by keeping alive the false ideas.
Focus on the positive –
- People with mental health and substance use problems make valuable contributions to society. Their health problems are just one part of who they are. We’ve all heard the negative stories. Let’s recognize and applaud the positive ones.
Support people –
- Treat people who have mental health problems with dignity and respect. Think about how you’d like others to act toward you if you were in the same situation. If you have family members, friends or co-workers with substance use or mental health problems, support their choices and encourage their efforts to get well.
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