By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

Mental illness has carried with it a stigma for some time, causing people to feel embarrassed to the point of sometimes avoiding the care they need. Why is that?

Joe Vaughan, executive director of IHR in Pontiac, explains that, unlike other illnesses that are more visible, mental illness can’t always be seen.

“When you can’t see something, it’s hard to understand it. I think it’s easy for other people to label it like, ‘Oh they’re just crazy’ or ‘they’re nuts’ and we’ve heard all of the terms people use throughout. I think it’s getting better, but I think if we can shake some of that stigma, people would be more comfortable to come in and work with a counselor and talk about some of the issues they may be experiencing,” Vaughan said.