Jessica Barden Quotes

Many politicians, celebrities, businessmen and women, and community leaders now are open about their struggles with mental illnesses, something almost unheard of when I began. Together, we are spreading the word that mental health affects all of us and deserves our support and attention.

There isn't a right or wrong way to be depressed, anxious, or struggle with PTSD. Mental health challenges manifest differently for different people, and it's important that people see that on-screen.

It's so important that we all speak up on mental health.

People accuse me of glamorizing mental illness. Looking back sometimes, that's true. But I don't feel guilty.

The problem with the stigma around mental health is really about the stories that we tell ourselves as a society. What is normal? That's just a story that we tell ourselves.

Everyone says to you, 'if you play Ophelia, you'll end up crazy,' but we're all somewhere on the spectrum of mental health, and I think that if you approach it that way it's not such an intimidating issue.

Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It's the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with.

The mental health conversation is very important to me. I have friends that struggle with various mental illnesses. I've struggled with depression and anxiety. I'm very interested in how we deal with that.

Playing someone who has a mental illness, the responsibility to not stuff it up is really strong. You have to get it right. Not just for the people who are sufferers, but for the people who care about them - their loved ones.

People take the mickey out of mental health, but it is very delicate.

Mental health is often missing from public health debates even though it's critical to wellbeing.

Mental health is seen as a massive drag to have to write about - worthy, dull. Something you should 'have' to read / write about.

Yes, this is 21st-century America. Where we have better means to treat mental illness than ever before, but choose to let the insane people decide to get it or not.

If you look at suicides, most of them are connected to depression. And the mental health system just fails them. It's so sad. We know what to do. We just don't do it.

I want to break down some of the stigma associated with mental illness.

Several politicians and wives of politicians have been public about their experiences with depression or bipolar illness, including Lawton Chiles, Patrick Kennedy, Tipper Gore and Kitty Dukakis. Each made a tremendous difference by doing so.

People with mental health problems are almost never dangerous. In fact, they are more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators. At the same time, mental illness has been the common denominator in one act of mass violence after another.

We're becoming so much better at destigmatizing all sorts of things, including mental illness in 'Silver Linings.'

I was thrilled when this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature went to Neal Schusterman's 'Challenger Deep.' This brilliant book takes you into the mind of a mentally ill teenager and deserves all the accolades it's received.

I want to remove the taboo from mental illness.

Americans with mental illness deserve our understanding and they deserve excellent medical care.

Treating mental health illness is compassionate and saves money.

It's okay to talk about mental health issues. It's okay to admit that you have anxiety. It doesn't take away from your power. It's totally normal.

Together with open conversations and greater understanding, we can ensure that attitudes for mental health change and children receive the support they deserve.

Mental health is an issue ailing everyone - it is so omnipresent in society, we must work towards making it better.