Tangelia Terrell

Sometimes it's difficult to be who we were created to be. It is also sometimes difficult to just be who we are no matter what people may think or say. Born to Be Wld encourages participants to be themselves in every situation and acknowledge who they are with wild abandonment.

Mental illnesses are real and notably, I am a living example of what mental illness looks like. Many of us, because of stigma, never take the time to get a check up from the neck up. We refuse to be diagnosed or labeled, as many say. Stigma is hurtful when it comes to mental illness and it is time for all of us to make sure that we seek the help that we deserve, because we are worth it!

Stigma is the perception that a certain attribute makes a person unacceptably different from others, leading to prejudice and discrimination against them. 1 out of 5 youth and teens live with a mental health condition, while 64.1% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. According to research, stigma is one of the top reasons depressed teens do not seek treatment and one of the top reasons parents do not seek treatment for a youth who may be experiencing a mental illness. How do we stop mental illness related stigma and see the person within?