[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 23 (Monday, June 14, 1999)]
[Pages 1049-1050]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

June 5, 1999

    The President. Good morning. I'm here today with Tipper Gore, my 
adviser for mental health policy. On Monday, together with Vice 
President Gore and the First Lady, we will convene the first White House 
Conference on Mental Health. Today Tipper and I want to talk about what 
we must do as a nation to fight the stigma that prevents so many 
Americans with mental illness from making the most of their lives.
    For more than 6 years now, our administration has worked hard to 
widen the circle of opportunity for every American. That means making 
sure people living with mental illness have the same chance to live up 
to their God-given potential as all other Americans.
    But the hard truth is, in too many of our communities and in too 
many of our hearts, mental illness is misunderstood and feared. Too many 
people with mental illness are denied the opportunity to fully 
participate in American life. Bias against people with mental illness is 
not unique in our time or our Nation. But as a nation founded on the 
idea of equality, we must use our time to change it.
    Tipper Gore is leading our efforts, and I'd like to ask her to say a 
few words.
    Tipper Gore. Thank you, Mr. President.
    Every day, in every community in America, millions of Americans and 
their families face the problem of mental illness. In fact, more than 
one in five Americans experiences some form of mental illness every 
year, from depression to schizophrenia; one in four Americans has a 
family member with a mental illness; and virtually every American has a 
friend, a neighbor, or a colleague with a mental illness.
    We know that mental illness is not something that happens to other 
people. It touches us all. Why then is mental illness met with so much 
misunderstanding and fear? We have come so far in the diagnosis and 
treatment of mental illness, but our attitudes have lagged far behind.
    I have talked to many people about the impact these outdated 
attitudes have on their lives. Some tell me that the shame and stigma 
they experience are harder to bear than the illness itself. Many live in 
fear that they will lose their jobs, their home, or their health 
benefits if their condition becomes known. And so too many people with 
mental illness don't seek treatment that can change their

[[Page 1050]]

lives, and the vicious cycle of silence, ignorance, and stigma 
continues. If we are ever going to put an end to this vicious cycle, we 
have to take responsibility and dispel the myths about mental illness 
once and for all.
    One of the most widely believed, and most damaging, myths is that 
mental illness is a personal failure, not a physical disease. A recent 
study shows that the majority of Americans don't believe that mental 
illness can be accurately diagnosed or treated. Nothing could be farther 
from the truth.
    Increasingly, we are learning that many mental disorders are 
biological in nature and can be medically treated--in some cases, more 
effectively than illnesses like heart disease. New drugs and better 
community health services are making it possible for even those with the 
most severe disorders to live healthier, more productive lives.
    A closely related and equally troubling myth is that young people 
don't suffer from real depression; they're just naturally moody, we 
think. Again, this is simply untrue. We recently learned that even very 
young children experience serious clinical depression, and it should be 
taken seriously.
    Consider this: The majority of children who commit suicide are 
profoundly depressed, and the majority of parents whose children took 
their own lives say they didn't recognize that depression until it was 
too late. And senior citizens, too, often accept the notion that 
depression is a natural part of aging and don't reach out for help.
    These myths don't just harm people with mental disorders; they hurt 
all of us. That is why we must all do our part to break the silence 
about mental illness.
    The President. We must start by talking honestly about the problem, 
and this Monday we'll take an important step in the right direction. 
Tipper's own decision to discuss her struggle with depression is a 
testament to her courage and commitment to change attitudes and build 
understanding about mental illness.
    I'm pleased to announce that later this year, together with the 
Surgeon General, Tipper will unveil a major new campaign to combat 
stigma and dispel myths about mental illness. With new public service 
announcements and strong partners in the private sector, we'll reach 
millions of Americans with a simple message: Mental illness is nothing 
to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.
    Together, we will replace stigma with acceptance, ignorance with 
understanding, fear with new hope for the future. Together, we will 
build a stronger nation for the new century, leaving no one behind.
    Thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 4:50 p.m. on June 4 in the Oval Office 
at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 5. The transcript 
was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on June 4 but 
was embargoed for release until the broadcast.