“Man up! Boys don’t cry!”
“Wipe your face. You’re a strong black woman. You’ll be fine.”
“Stop acting bipolar.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you. You just want attention.”
“People are gonna think you’re loco/crazy if you keep acting like that.”
Have you ever found yourself saying or hearing any of the above phrases or something similar? These are all phrases that cause stigma around mental health. July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This month Teen Health Mississippi wants to highlight ways to combat mental health stigma and bring awareness to mental health services and resources.