WASHINGTON, March 4, 2015 – The military reaches out to assist troubled service members, and helping people with mental health issues “is what we’ve got to do for every single person in our own lives,” First Lady Michelle Obama told attendees at a conference here today.

As part of the White House’s Joining Forces initiative, the first lady addressed mental-health professionals at the “Give An Hour” conference at the Newseum.

Give an Hour is a nonprofit organization that develops networks of volunteers to provide free counseling to troops, veterans and their families affected by the nation’s wars and works toward eliminating the stigma attached to seeking help for mental-health issues..

Just as the military community has, Obama said, all Americans should learn to recognize the distress indicators in family and friends.

Zero Room for Stigma

People who need help should not afraid to seek it because of how it will look to those around them, the first lady said. Mental health conditions often are perceived differently from diseases such as cancer, diabetes or asthma, she added.

“That makes no sense,” she said. “Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness. “So there should be absolutely no stigma around mental health. None. Zero.”

Nearly one in five adults -- more than 40 million Americans -- experience a diagnosable mental-health condition such as depression or anxiety every year, she noted.

“So it is really time to flip the script on mental health in this country,” Obama said. “It’s time. It’s time to tell everyone who’s dealing with a mental health issue that they’re not alone, and that getting support and treatment isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.” Read More