Several opinions formed by members in society are based on narrow-minded views and expectations. These often stem from old-fashioned beliefs on the ideal characteristics of an individual. Ultimately, this creates a stigma surrounding topics and traits which are seen as ‘different’ or ‘unnatural’. Stigma refers to discrimination or negative attitude towards someone who posesses a specific attribute, illness or struggle. In this case, there is a societal stigma surrounding conversations about the act of seeking help for a mental health issue. The possibility of being stereotyped on these invisible struggles could cause an individual to internalize the stigma, which could be another possible factor preventing them from seeking help. Therefore, society’s view on mental health issues has formed a stigma surrounding conversations about mental health struggles for a variety of reasons. 

One of the reasons why there is an impending stigma around mental health struggles is that physical health issues are discussed more freely. According to Mental Health Stigma Persists, “Just days after… Naomi Osaka, the No. 2 ranked woman in the French Open for speaking out about her year-long experiences with recurrent depression and social anxiety… left the tournament with an ensuing flurry of media coverage, speculation and commentary, the women’s No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty withdrew due to a hip injury with little to no scrutiny” (Thakkar 1-2). This shows that people will criticize and about someone who struggles mentally but will not blink an eye at someone who suffers from a physical illness or injury. Furthermore, the article states that “...56% of individuals report discomfort talking to friends and family about mental health-related issues” (Thakkar 2). This statistic proves that many do not feel safe talking to people who are close to them about their mental health struggles as comfortably and seriously as they would be about  a physical injury. One more statistic from the article states that “...84% of people are uncomfortable talking to an employer” (Thakkar 2). This is problematic because mental health struggles such as depression can have just as much of a toll on the efficiency and performance of an employee as a physical illness such as migraine disorders. 

Another reason for the stigma is because people who are struggling mentally often do not accept the state of their mental health and as a result internalize the social stigma. As stated in the article Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals and Profession, “..stigma is not only held among others in society but can also be internalized by the person with the condition. Thus, the continued impact of social stigma can influence an individual to feel guilty and inadequate about his or her condition” (Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals and Profession). This demonstrates that many individuals which have the stigma internalized will avoid getting help with fear of being belittled or looked down upon. To add, the article states that “...expectations of becoming stigmatized, in addition to actually being stigmatized, are factors that influence psychosocial well-being… It is primarily the fear of being labeled that causes the individual to feel stigmatized” (Mental Health Stigma: Society, Individuals and Profession). This further explains that the assumption that one might get stigmatized drives the stigma to be internalized even more, causing them to not accept that they are not in a good state mentally. Lastly, the article Mental Health Stigma Persists illustrates that “One of the biggest hurdles… to overcome every day as a mental health agency is helping clients accept where they are and what they are fighting. Decades of institutionalized stigma and an overwhelming reluctance as a society to talk about health has gotten us to this place” (Thakkar 3). This proves that even though in recent years conversations are slowly being opened up, the prolonged time when the taboo on mental health discussions and therapy still impacts the hesitance when society talks about mental health struggles.

In conclusion, society’s view of mental health issues prevents people from seeking help because mental health conversations are avoided more than physical illness and many do not accept the state of their mental health. Numerous people believe that the stigma of mental health illnesses is no longer hindering conversations and seeking help for those who are struggling, but it is still prominent in today's society. Many do not realize that physical and mental health are not different, but one and the same. Moreover, a problem concerning physical health will negatively impact one’s mental health, and vice versa. Similar to how checking weight and height is regular at yearly checkups, assessing the state of one’s mental health should also be normalized, as prevention and early intervention has better outcomes.