Are you #TheReal5150?
Stigma defines us. Now it’s time for us to redefine stigma.
We’re more than a label. It’s time to take a stand and break the stigma of having a mental illness. It’s time to tell others that it’s not OK to use the term 5150 as a joke, as an adjective to describe someone as mentally less-than, or as a description for behaving like a bad ass. Having a brain disorder, more commonly known as mental illness, is not a choice and the stigma hurts.
It hurts me. It hurts our children. It hurts our families and communities.
It’s time to educate society on the suffering, pain and tragedy of what it means to perpetrate stigma on #TheReal5150. Please join me in creating a better way through this social media campaign using the hashtag #TheReal5150 during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. Together we can break the stigma and show them what it means to be #TheReal5150.