74% say society discourages mental health help
Despite 85% believing support is wise, 74% of Americans surveyed say society discourages people from seeking mental health help.
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Jun 1, 2026
Where this was said
Sponsor Break #1: IXL and BetterHelp
At 5:28 · chapter starts 4:40
The first ad break features two sponsors. IXL promotes itself as a personalized learning platform for pre-K through 12th grade, used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the United States, offering an exclusive 20% membership discount at ixl.com/NPR. BetterHelp follows with a message anchored in data from its 2026 State of Stigma Report, which surveyed 2,000 Americans and found that 85% believe getting mental health support is wise, yet 74% say society actively discourages people from seeking it — a tension the ad uses to encourage listeners not to let stigma stand in the way of therapy.
IXL used in 96 of top 100 U.S. school districts
IXL's adaptive learning platform is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the United States.
BetterHelp survey: 85% say getting help is wise
BetterHelp's 2026 State of Stigma Report found 85% of 2,000 Americans surveyed believe getting mental health support is wise.
The Gatekeeping of Power
The idea that only rich people or those with elite backgrounds are 'qualified' to wield power is itself a defense of a broken system. The people who have been 'qualified' for 50 years delivered the reality Americans are living in now — and nobody's calling it a success.
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