Approximately 45 million adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness1, but less than half (43{5e0bea7df62a42e70f4e6662baa016b718b42e41c3f575af4c98dbb1e2d44a4e}) will actually receive treatment1. ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WILL BE AFFECTED BY MENTAL OR NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES1, BUT, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, FEWER THAN HALF OF AMERICANS LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES ARE GETTING TREATMENT2. A NEW SURVEY FINDS THAT STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY. HERE TO EXPLAIN, AND TO TALK ABOUT A NEW, CREATIVE APPROACH TO HELP REDUCE STIGMA AGAINST THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES, ARE ADAM SAVITZ, MD, PHD, A HARVARD TRAINED PSYCHIATRIST AND DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE AT JANSSEN, AND MACKENZIE DRAZAN, A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE WHO HAS BEEN PERSONALLY IMPACTED BY STIGMA DR. SAVITZ – WHAT IS IT THAT PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESSES, THAT MAY BE LEADING TO STIGMA AGAINST THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH THE DISEASES?DR. SAVITZ – WHAT DID THE SURVEY REVEAL ABOUT PEOPLE’S VIEWS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES AND THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH THEM?DR. SAVITZ – WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED?MACKENZIE – HOW HAS STIGMA IMPACTED YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? MACKENZIE – HOW DO YOU THINK STIGMA IMPACTS THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES?MACKENZIE – HOW CAN WE AS A SOCIETY HELP OVERCOME STIGMA, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?MACKENZIE – TELL US MORE ABOUT CHAMPIONS OF SCIENCE: THE ART OF ENDING STIGMA AND HOW PEOPLE CAN TAKE PART.
