A leading panel of experts joined us for a NETWORK. conversation on mental health awareness,  where they discussed overcoming stigmatization, creating a healthy workplace, helping a colleague and finding professional support. Joining the panel were Pamela Bell, founder of Prinkshop, Mackenzie Drazan, executive director of MYTEAM.org, Brooke Garber Neidich, co-founder and board chair of the Child Mind Institute, Ashley Womble, head of communications at Crisis Text Line, and Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.

Consider the statistics:

• 1 in 5 people in the United States has a psychiatric illness
• 7 to 8 percent of the population has a clinical mental illness
• 15 percent of the population suffers from anxiety
• 2 percent of the population suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder
• 5 percent of the population is bi-polar
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death between the ages 10 and 34.
• Half the population in the United States who have a psychiatric illness does not seek help.

The most common forms of mental illness in the U.S. are depression, anxiety and eating disorders. 75 percent of mental health conditions begin in childhood and adolescence which is why Sidney Garber Neidich encourages parents to get their children help as soon as possible. “At a young age, the brain is still developing and it puts it at a higher risk for ailments,” she said. “But, the brain at a younger age is very malleable so it is incredibly receptive to treatment.”

One of the reasons why so many do not seek help is because of the stigma surrounding it. Mental illness is not something that should be uncomfortable to talk about.

Mackenzie Drazan encourages normalizing these conversations. “People are afraid of things they don’t understand,” she noted. “They don’t know what to do, or how to act which fuels prejudice.”

Drazan wants people to understand that they should not get caught up with the definitions and saying the “right” thing. “Conversations don’t need to be perfect,” she noted.

If you suspect a coworker is struggling, ask them out for a coffee or lunch, and remember to listen. Employers can encourage an environment of transparency in the workplace, where people feel comfortable talking without fear of ramifications. Whether it’s mental health check-ins with your team or offering time off, these are practices that can help to avoid “burn-out.”