Eliminating the Stigma of Discussing Mental Health
Sara Strohschein
Stigma: (a) a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something; (b) a mark of shame or discredit.
Common Synonyms: shame, disgrace, dishonor, humiliation, taint, or stain.
A 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) report provided data, gathered in January 2025, regarding the status and perception of mental health in the workplace. Results indicate that workers continue to experience burnout, and women, caregivers, and LGBTQ+ employees are the most vulnerable to mental health issues and the associated stigma. Additionally, a third of employees polled indicated they had taken time off from work for mental or physical health-related reasons (the two are inextricably tied), while an equal amount reported supporting a coworker going through a mental health crisis.
What remains disconcerting in the report is that a significant awareness gap related to mental health benefits remains, with 25 percent of employees indicating they are unsure of their company’s mental health benefits. Another concerning statistic uncovered in the report is that only 21 percent of employees have received any formal education or training related to mental health issues from their employer. At the leadership level, 67 percent reported a lack of training on how to address mental health issues with team members.
Survey results also indicate that over three-quarters of respondents stated they would feel comfortable if a coworker shared mental health concerns. Although the percentage of employees willing to discuss their mental health challenges at work has increased, the greatest comfort level is with managers at 57 percent, followed by coworkers at 56 percent. Percentages plummet to only 39 percent with HR, and 28 percent with C-suite leadership.
A primary reason for reticence in discussing mental health is related in part to the stigma or judgment around mental health issues, the fear of both seeming to be weak, and of retaliation or lost opportunities.
Employers can address these issues through providing education (MRA has several mental health learning opportunities for employees, which can be found by selecting the Learning tab on our website; NAMI has an online, self-paced training be found on the NAMI website), ensuring employees know how to access mental health care through their benefits and/or EAP, and providing an environment where employees feel safe discussing mental health issues.
