Sovereign Health Launches #FightingMHStigma Campaign to Raise Awareness About the Stigma of Mental Health Disorders

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Oct. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sovereign Health, a leading national provider of behavioral health treatment services, announces the launch of a new campaign, #FightingMHStigma. The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness about the stigma of mental health disorders. 1 in 4 people will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. However, due to the fear of being stigmatized, these individuals often conceal their disorders from others. The #FightingMHStigma campaign seeks to break through the stigma and misconceptions of mental health disorders and empower individuals to seek treatment.

This call to action encourages the community to post a statement of support for those dealing with mental health issues to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the #FightingMHStigma hashtag. Participants may include a photo or a video of themselves or in support of a loved one to stand up against the stigma of mental health disorders. #FightingMHStigma bracelets and keychains will be available for attendees to Sovereign Health events.

As a leader in behavioral health treatment services, Sovereign Health is committed to educating the public about mental health disorders. In February of this year, Sovereign published the editorial, "Myths about mental illness that make matters worse." As noted in this article, the stigma surrounding mental illness leads to social, educational and employment exclusion. With greater understanding comes less fear, and less fear means less stigma. Sovereign has a comprehensive catalog of articles to educate readers about the stigma of mental health, including:

• Steps for coping with the mental health stigma
• Defeating the stigma of mental illness
• Evolving past stigmas and providing more care options

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) defines any mental illness (AMI) as a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder (excluding developmental and substance use disorders). AMI can range in impact from no or mild impairment to significantly disabling impairment, such as in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), defined as individuals with a mental disorder with serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. In 2014, there were an estimated 43.6 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with AMI in the past year, representing 18.1% of all U.S. adults. These estimates of AMI do not include substance use disorders. However, according to a 2014 national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20.2 million adults have a substance use disorder. Of these, 7.9 million people, or 39 percent, had both a mental disorder and substance use disorder.

About Sovereign Health

Sovereign Health's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of high-quality behavioral health treatment services for adults and adolescents, including support services for family members. Sovereign's treatment facilities are licensed to provide both addiction/dual diagnosis treatment and mental health treatment for conditions such as trauma, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Sovereign also offers treatment for patients who have chronic pain, eating disorders and cognitive deficits. One factor that differentiates Sovereign from other treatment providers has been the company's ability to offer separate mental health and addiction or dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. For more information, visit www.sovhealth.com.

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SOURCE Sovereign Health

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