Amber Naslund is a social media strategist but, in this talk, she shares her 20-year personal journey and her own struggles to overcome depression and anxiety.

Mental illnesses persist as an underlying stigma created and maintained by society, making it more difficult for people to be diagnosed and treated. As a result, one person every 14 seconds commits suicide for lack of proper treatment.

Naslund advocates the importance of speaking about mental illness, sharing stories and giving an identity to the illnesses. Instead of hiding it with shame and silence, mental illness should be addressed in open and honest conversations.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx