StoppingStigma_Oct_2026

Continued from page 11 12 New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma As Black and Brown communities are generally not inclined to visit doctors due to a lack of comfort or trust, physicians, as well as other healthcare providers, need to undertake proactive educational efforts in their communities. “Get out of your offices and interact with people and provide services in real time,” Rev. Flores advised. He shared examples of staffing tables to provide information and screenings for both physical and mental health issues at community settings, such as parks, colleges and other schools. “We must educate the community in their own language,” Dr. Flores added. “First and foremost, have non-judgmental conversations,” Dr. Kakauridze stressed. On an informal basis, sharing personal experiences with mental health difficulties— and especially thriving despite these challenges — is extraordinarily impactful. “It’s so hard for people with healthy brains to understand why people with unhealthy brains do what they do. Education is key to increasing understanding, empathy and kindness towards those who struggle,” Baker said. Reinforcing this point, Shauna Fuzes, Vice President, Public Affairs and Member Services, New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies and staff liaison to the NewJersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, shared that she did not understand why her brother took his own life until she experienced a suicidal crisis herself. “I would not wish this experience on anyone, and I share it with hopes of preventing such trauma for others,” she said. “Opening up about mental health struggles is the first step. Of course, it doesn’t have to be publicly. On any scale, sharing makes a tremendous difference — for ourselves and others.” This perspective relates to research on stigma conducted by Patrick Corrigan, PsyD, who most recently served as a Distinguished Professor of Psychology; Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education and Research; and Core Faculty Member in the Division of Counseling and Rehabilitation Science at the Illinois Institute of Technology before his unexpected passing in early 2026. Dr. Corrigan’s research was based on the premise of contact. “When you know someone with mental illness, it decreases stigma. Through human-to-human connection, you get to know a person and when you later learn they have mental illness, there is less fear. You see them as a capable person,” Dr. Swarbrick explained. “The more you help people become more aware of their mental health vulnerabilities — that they can have depression, anxiety or emotional dysregulation — and their ability control them, the more people may become accepting of themselves and others.” “Fear and misinformation are big drivers of stigma. We need to help people work through the fears and get access to reliable information,” Dr. Swarbrick emphasized. The bottom line is: “By not talking openly and without shame about mental health disorders, we’re perpetuating stigma,” as Baker stated.