This Powerful Hashtag Is Challenging Mental Health Stigma

A powerful hashtag is trending on Twitter today, one that's out to prove the importance of mental health care: #WhyYouNeedTherapyInOneWord. Sure, at first glance, it seems like all of Twitter came out to say that that one word is "Trump," but beyond cheap jokes, many are sharing real and compelling reasons to see a therapist. This hashtag is helping move an incredibly important conversation into the public eye. Thanks to the long-standing stigma around mental illness, many fear being judged for seeing a mental healthcare professional. But like all medical care, therapy is simply another way to maintain your overall well-being. The sheer number of people who have taken to Twitter to share this hashtag should indicate how widespread therapy really is as a treatment for mental health. And while it may seem gimmicky to reduce stories to one word, the hashtag's format distills complicated experiences into accessible, yet poignant, responses. Words like "abuse," "depression," and "anger" can speak volumes about actual experiences when read en masse. It's the impact of these experiences, and not any one word, that a therapist can help unpack. If you've decided to see a therapist, but don't know where to start, we've got you covered. Read some of the powerful tweets from #WhyYouNeedTherapyInOneWord, below.