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When a person receives a blow to the head or body, the impact shakes the brain and causes some internal damage. The injury disrupts the brain’s neurons, which are responsible for transmitting information to different parts of the body. The neurons can stop functioning properly, which is what causes the symptoms of a concussion. People with a concussion may experience loss of consciousness, disorientation, and nausea. A person with a concussion may experience physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. The most common symptom is a headache. Research suggests that 86–96% of people will develop a headache after getting a concussion. People may also experience dizziness, balance disturbances, and confusion. Anyone with the symptoms of a concussion must seek medical attention. People with a concussion can experience a wide range of symptoms that affect their cognition, physical health, emotions, and sleep. Anyone with a suspected concussion should consult a doctor immediately. After experiencing a concussion, a person should rest for 2 days and then gradually return to normal activities. Most people begin to feel better within 1–2 weeks.(Credits: www.medicalnewstoday.com)

Mental health stigma refers to societal disapproval, or when society places shame on people who live with a mental illness or seek help for emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD. The pressure of mental health stigma can come from family, friends, coworkers, and society on a broader level. Groups can also politicize stigma. It can prevent people living with mental illness from getting help, fitting into society, and leading happy and comfortable lives. Mental health stigma can come from stereotypes, which are simplified or generalized beliefs or representations of entire groups of people that are often inaccurate, negative, and offensive. They allow a person to make quick judgments about others based on a few defining characteristics, which they then apply to anyone in that group. For instance, people living with depression are often stereotyped as lazy, while some judge those with anxiety as cowardly. Many people fear being labeled “crazy” for simply seeking support from a therapist. None of these characterizations are valid, and all of them are misinformed, cause pain, and prevent people from getting the help they need. An often politicized stereotype about people with mental illness is that they are violent or dangerous. However, a small minority of people living with mental illness commit violent acts. They are actually 10 times more likely to be victims of a crime, making them a vulnerable population we should be protecting instead of fearing.  Importantly, everyone has a role in diffusing mental health stigma. People should educate themselves about mental health issues, and better comprehend what life is like for those living with these conditions. By doing so, they can help dispel commonly held myths and stereotypes both in themselves and others. Through education and understanding, we can eliminate the stigma around mental illness, and there is support available to people who are currently experiencing stigma.(Credits: www.medicalnewstoday.com)