Honor the Sacred, the Community, and Yourself. Stop the Stigma.
Mental health conditions are real, common and treatable. They impact every ethnic, racial, economic, religious and age group, but the severity and likelihood of these conditions can be heightened as a result of the additional stress and trauma from the impacts of colonization, prejudice and systemic racism.
However, many don’t seek treatment because of the fear and shame they experience related to their mental illness. It’s important to remember that mental illness doesn’t define us. Anyone’s journey to mental health and recovery can start today.
By learning more about mental illness and providing support to those in our community who may be learning to navigate the impacts of historical, cultural or family trauma, we can help our community to heal and come together.
Honor the Sacred, honor the Earth, honor the Elders and honor yourself by doing your part to reduce stigma around mental illness.
Common Mental Health Conditions
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Adjustment Disorders
Characterized by excessive fear or anxiety that is difficult to control and negatively and substantially impacts daily functioning.
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Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Defined by a persistent pattern of inattention (for example, difficulty keeping focus) and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity (for example, difficulty controlling behavior, excessive and inappropriate motor activity).
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Bipolar Disorder
Characterized by atypical, dramatic swings in mood, and activity levels that go from periods of feeling intensely happy, irritable, and impulsive to periods of intense sadness and feelings of hopelessness.
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Borderline Personality Disorder
Characterized by difficulties regulating emotion. People living with BPD feel emotions intensely and for extended periods of time, and it is harder for them to return to a stable baseline after an emotionally triggering event.
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Depression
Depression can present different symptoms depending on the person, but is often characterized by physical and mental changes that significantly interfere with daily life. Common symptoms include: hopelessness or guilty thoughts, loss of energy, changes in sleep, changes in appetite, lack of interest in activities and physical aches and pains.
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Dissociative Conditions
Characterized by an involuntary escape from reality characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory.
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Eating Disorders
Describes illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits and severe distress or concern about body weight or shape.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Defined by the presence of persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are intrusive and unwanted (obsessions), or repetitive and ritualistic behaviors that a person feels are necessary in order to control obsessions (compulsions).
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Characterized as the development of debilitating symptoms following exposure to a traumatic or dangerous event. These can include re-experiencing symptoms from an event, such as flashbacks or nightmares, avoidance symptoms, changing a personal routine to escape having to be reminded of an event, or being easily startled/tense that makes daily tasks nearly impossible to complete.
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Psychosis
Characterized as disruptions to a person’s thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to recognize what is real and what isn’t. These disruptions are often experienced as seeing, hearing and believing things that aren’t real or having strange, persistent thoughts, behaviors and emotions.
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Schizoaffective Disorder
Characterized by persistent symptoms of psychosis resembling schizophrenia with additional periodic symptoms of mood disorders, such as mania and depression.
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Schizophrenia
A brain disorder that impacts the way a person thinks (often described as a “thought disorder”), feels and acts. It is characterized by a range of mental, behavioral, and emotional experiences that can include: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior.
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Embrace, don’t judge.
No one should experience their mental health journey alone. Accept your loved ones for who they are: a whole being in need of support. Remind them that their mental health condition does not define them and that they can live in a healthy, positive way.
Mental Health Services
Call 211 for local mental health counseling, support and crisis response services. If you are in crisis or experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
You have the power to make a difference in our community:
- Embrace, don’t judge. No one should experience their mental health journey alone. Accept your loved ones for who they are: a whole being in need of support. Remind them that their mental health condition does not define them and that they can live in a healthy, positive way.
- Learn the facts about mental illness, ways stigma can hurt individuals and families, and the resources available for help to better understand what people with mental health conditions are going through and how support can be provided.
- Start a conversation. By talking openly about our mental health experiences, we’re helping make it OK for someone else to share their story and be heard as a whole person. Listen closely to each other’s stories, leave room for others to join in and ask questions.
- Support and find ways to provide encouragement, hope and help. Even running an errand or visiting with an elderly family member can ease the burden. Simple steps can sometimes be the biggest help.
- Refer friends and family to trusted support groups, organizations and health providers in the community. Offer to go with them if they need someone else for strength and courage.
- To learn more about what people with mental health conditions are going through, how support can be provided or to get involved, explore StopStigmaSacramento.org, or call 211 to be referred to culturally competent, recovery-focused mental health services.
Conversation Starter
Hey, it seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind lately. How are you?
I just wanted to say that I am here if you want to talk about anything – Can we get together this week?
I noticed you have missed a few days of school, and I just wanted to check in with you and see how you are doing.
I haven’t seen you in a while! How have you been?
I know life can feel like a lot sometimes, but if you need someone to talk to, I want you to know I am here.
You’ve seemed a little down lately and I wanted to see how you are doing.
I just want you to know I am here for you if you ever need to talk. You’re my friend and I won’t judge you.
I know things have been hard lately; let me know if you want to talk about it. I’m here for you.