Where are you? Stop what you are doing and look up. See the person in front of you? Now look to your left. Turn right. Now look behind. Although you may not realize, one of the four people you just saw is statistically diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

When one brings up the prevalence of mental health illnesses in our nation – that is, one in four adults – it is truly startling to think that the majority of citizens often associate such a term with negative, stigmatizing beliefs. These unwitting beliefs include that those who suffer from such disorders are dangerous, hard to talk to, and unreliable. While members of our society who hold such beliefs range from a broad span of ages, it is truly ironic to hear that their judgment is not dependent on whether or not they have a solid understanding of what mental health illnesses entail.

Early stigmas of mental health problems actually developed from the idea that victims who suffered from such illnesses were spiritually “possessed.” Such a claim merely acted as an explanation for certain unconventional behaviors. Consequently, this association gave rise to reactions of fear and discrimination.

And, ironically, although those notions were debunked long ago with progress in the field of science and technology, we still find members of society holding such negative ideas regarding those who suffer from mental illnesses. Perhaps the most blamed source of the prejudiced beliefs that revolve around these disorders is the media. While the media disseminates many of the stereotypes infesting our society to people of all ages, there are more unexpected sources that contribute to the mental health social stigma. Even in the field of medicine, the widely referenced medical model hints at the idea that mental health problems are comparable to physical illnesses – as if both result from physical dysfunction. By categorizing the illness in this way, the model implies that those who suffer from mental health problems are not “normally” functioning individuals. But, what does “normal” even mean?

With such prejudiced beliefs infiltrating society, mental health care seems to be one of the biggest unmet concerns of our time. The preconception that victims are dangerous and abnormal, coupled with the broken mental health care system, give rise to grave consequences. Those that have mental health issues are driven under the impression that they are outcasts, that they are unwanted. They are beyond afraid to seek help and reveal their problems. The isolation, shame, and emotional confusion hinder them from possessing the wherewithal and perspective to ask for help. And, what are the consequences? Individuals are forced to drown in their own problems and find ways to escape them dangerously.

We can no longer ignore news regarding students that take their lives due to overwhelming stress in school, nor can we continue passively reading headlines regarding suicides prompted by bullying. How can we allow this to happen? Statistically, with three available peers for every individual that suffers from a mental health illness, what exactly is stopping us? It is surprising to think that something as powerless as a debunked myth can control our intrinsic drive to assist those in need.

Right now, it is simply a matter of eradicating the false notions of victims of disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, ADHD. At Harriton, students and staff are already in the process of initiating this movement.

Student and founder of the S.I. S.I.B. Awareness Facebook group, Daniel O’ Connor established the group in March of 2013 to emphasize the truth that mental illness victims are not outcasts and, moreover, to begin conversation around the fact that people have such stigmas for those who have a mental illness. “These beliefs exist because people are afraid to really learn about the problems with each other,” Daniel said. “Our society is based on hard work and living through everything, so when there is someone that can’t work through everything and they take their own lives, people shy away and like to blame it on something that isn’t another person or themselves. A disease [to label someone with] makes everything easier because no one can ‘control’ it.”

While piercing the veil of shame and secrecy is understandably quite difficult, Harriton staff has provided students with an additional support system pertaining to mental health to make assistance more accessible.

The Banner had the opportunity to talk to Aaron Bell, Harriton’s Mental Wellness Counselor, who shared his insight on mental health stigmas. “I think, in general, people are afraid to be labeled as having a problem, or at least it is an embarrassment if their friends knew about it. Personally, I think that everyone has issues of some kind going on, whether you are brave enough to face them head on or not.”

He went on to specifically talk about the resources available at Harriton and how students utilize them. “I think it’s getting better. More and more students know that I am available and are willing to come see me if they need me. And I can direct them in ways they need to go or we can, you know, tie in some groups and move forward.”

There is one more important thing that he wanted the students of Harriton to know, “[his] door is always open if they need to come and get something off their chest.” The same applies to any of the counselors at Harriton.

When walking down the hallway, an individual suffering from a mental health illness recognizes that students with smiling faces and confident demeanors surround them. It is not always obvious that another person walking in the other direction might very well be going through a similar problem as well. The unspoken truth is that there is a great number of students who are coping with mental health issues.

“The support system that our school has is very well put together and can be very effective but, at the same time, kids have to come out about their problems first. This is probably the biggest problem for kids in our school because when they come out asking for help, they can be mocked and ridiculed for their illness or issue. Teenagers are especially opinionated about mental illness in our school and are not very empathetic sometimes, but other times, just completely lost,” Daniel stated.

If society starts reevaluating the notions behind mental illnesses, spreading these newly established ideas, and encouraging these individuals to seek help when needed, the social impact resulting from such a movement is unfathomable. By participating in something so profound, we, as Harriton students, will not only be eradicating unwitting notions regarding certain members of society, but also improving our daily lives altogether…and that is priceless.