End the stigma of mental illness

By Jay Ruderman and Jo Ann Simons
4 minute read
Updated 2:46 PM EDT, Mon April 6, 2015
Relatives of the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/world/gallery/france-plane-crash/index.html" target="_blank">Germanwings Flight 9525</a> crash victims arrive on Saturday, April 4, at a ceremony as rescuers hold flags of the late passengers' nationalities in the village of Le Vernet. Flight 9525 was carrying 150 people when it crashed in the French Alps in March. It was traveling from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany.
Relatives of the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash victims arrive on Saturday, April 4, at a ceremony as rescuers hold flags of the late passengers' nationalities in the village of Le Vernet. Flight 9525 was carrying 150 people when it crashed in the French Alps in March. It was traveling from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany.
FRANCK PENNANT/AFP/Getty Images
French government officials observe a moment of silence for <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/world/gallery/france-plane-crash/index.html" target="_blank">Germanwings Flight 9525</a> near the crash site Friday, April 3, in Le Vernet, France.
French government officials observe a moment of silence for Germanwings Flight 9525 near the crash site Friday, April 3, in Le Vernet, France.
LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images
A black mourning band is seen at a ticket counter for German airline Lufthansa at the airport in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Tuesday, March 31.
A black mourning band is seen at a ticket counter for German airline Lufthansa at the airport in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Tuesday, March 31.
SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP/Getty Images
Messages for the victims are displayed at the airport in Dusseldorf on March 31.
Messages for the victims are displayed at the airport in Dusseldorf on March 31.
Martin Meissner/AP
French Red Cross members and residents pay tribute to the victims at the memorial in Le Vernet on Saturday, March 28.
French Red Cross members and residents pay tribute to the victims at the memorial in Le Vernet on Saturday, March 28.
jeff pachoud/afp/getty
A memorial service is held at the Notre Dame du Bourg cathedral in Digne-les-Bains, France, on March 28.
A memorial service is held at the Notre Dame du Bourg cathedral in Digne-les-Bains, France, on March 28.
Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
Students of the Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium school arrive for a memorial service in Haltern, Germany, on Friday, March 27. Sixteen students and two teachers from Haltern were among the victims.
Students of the Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium school arrive for a memorial service in Haltern, Germany, on Friday, March 27. Sixteen students and two teachers from Haltern were among the victims.
Martin Meissner/AP
A cross is pictured at Seyne-les-Alpes, France, on March 27, a day after families of crash victims arrived near the plane crash site.
A cross is pictured at Seyne-les-Alpes, France, on March 27, a day after families of crash victims arrived near the plane crash site.
BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images
German President Joachim Gauck, alongside Haltern Mayor Bodo Klimpel, delivers a statement March 27 at a church in Haltern.
German President Joachim Gauck, alongside Haltern Mayor Bodo Klimpel, delivers a statement March 27 at a church in Haltern.
MAJA HITIJ/AFP/Getty Images
A closeup of the memorial in Le Vernet on Thursday, March 26.
A closeup of the memorial in Le Vernet on Thursday, March 26.
Patrick Aventurier/Getty Images
People pause for a moment of silence in Llinars del Valles, Spain, on Wednesday, March 25.
People pause for a moment of silence in Llinars del Valles, Spain, on Wednesday, March 25.
Emilio Morenatti/AP
Members of the German and Australian national soccer teams observe a moment of silence before a friendly match in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on March 25.
Members of the German and Australian national soccer teams observe a moment of silence before a friendly match in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on March 25.
DANIEL ROLAND/AFP/Getty Images
A woman uses public transit in Madrid as flags fly at half-staff on March 25.
A woman uses public transit in Madrid as flags fly at half-staff on March 25.
Andres Kudacki/AP
Andrus Ansip, European commissioner for Digital Single Market, marks a moment of silence March 25 at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
Andrus Ansip, European commissioner for Digital Single Market, marks a moment of silence March 25 at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
From left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy pay respect to victims at the crash site on March 25.
From left, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy pay respect to victims at the crash site on March 25.
Christophe Ena/Pool/AP
People hug in front of the Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium school in Haltern on March 25.
People hug in front of the Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium school in Haltern on March 25.
SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP/Getty Images
A person in Madrid stands near a Spanish flag flying at half-staff on March 25.
A person in Madrid stands near a Spanish flag flying at half-staff on March 25.
Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
Employees and trustees of the opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain, gather March 25 to honor Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner, two opera singers who were aboard the flight.
Employees and trustees of the opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain, gather March 25 to honor Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner, two opera singers who were aboard the flight.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Employees and members of the Spanish Parliament hold a moment of silence in Madrid on March 25.
Employees and members of the Spanish Parliament hold a moment of silence in Madrid on March 25.
Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
Members of the German soccer club Bayern Munich hold a moment of silence before their practice in Munich on March 25.
Members of the German soccer club Bayern Munich hold a moment of silence before their practice in Munich on March 25.
CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images
Workers from the Delphi factory, who lost two colleagues in the crash, mourn together in Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain, on March 25.
Workers from the Delphi factory, who lost two colleagues in the crash, mourn together in Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain, on March 25.
Manu Fernandez/ap
A Lufthansa employee signs a condolence book in Frankfurt, Germany, on March 25.
A Lufthansa employee signs a condolence book in Frankfurt, Germany, on March 25.
Michael Probst/AP
European Union flags fly at half-staff at the European Union Commission building in Brussels on March 25.
European Union flags fly at half-staff at the European Union Commission building in Brussels on March 25.
Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Students and well-wishers gather in front of Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium on Tuesday, March 24.
Students and well-wishers gather in front of Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium on Tuesday, March 24.
Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images
A student lights a candle in front of Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium on March 24.
A student lights a candle in front of Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium on March 24.
Martin Meissner/AP
Friends of the German students attend a Mass in Llinars del Valles, a Spanish village near Barcelona, on March 24.
Friends of the German students attend a Mass in Llinars del Valles, a Spanish village near Barcelona, on March 24.
Emilio Morenatti/AP
Candles sit on a paper reading "In silent memory, Class 9A/9C" in front of the Haltern high school on March 24.
Candles sit on a paper reading "In silent memory, Class 9A/9C" in front of the Haltern high school on March 24.
Martin Meissner/AP
Staff members of Germanwings and Lufthansa stand in front of the Germanwings headquarters in Cologne, Germany, on March 24. They placed flowers and candles at the main entrance. Germanwings is a low-cost airline owned by the Lufthansa Group.
Staff members of Germanwings and Lufthansa stand in front of the Germanwings headquarters in Cologne, Germany, on March 24. They placed flowers and candles at the main entrance. Germanwings is a low-cost airline owned by the Lufthansa Group.
Marius Becker/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
French parliament members observe a minute of silence at the National Assembly in Paris on March 24.
French parliament members observe a minute of silence at the National Assembly in Paris on March 24.
FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
Reaction to Germanwings plane crash

Editor’s Note: Jay Ruderman is the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which advocates for inclusion of people with disabilities in the broader society. Jo Ann Simons is the president and CEO of the Cardinal Cushing Centers in Massachusetts, which provides people with disabilities opportunities and support in communities. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors.

Story highlights

Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who crashed the Germanwings flight, battled with depression

Jay Ruderman and Jo Ann Simons: Society must talk about mental illness to help people cope with it better

CNN  — 

We might never truly comprehend what drove co-pilot Andreas Lubitz to crash Germanwings Flight 9525 into the French Alps on March 24, killing everyone on board. The latest report shows that he sped up the descent of the plane to its doom. It’s terrifying.

As the investigation unfolds, we will learn more about to what extent Lubitz kept his mental illness secret, or how much help he sought. How much did his battle with depression affect his fitness to fly? Should he have walked away from his job? Should his doctors have sounded alarm bells?

His case raises larger and important issues about people who are burdened with mental illness and the pressure of its stigma.

Jay Ruderman
Jay Ruderman
Jo Ann Simons
Jo Ann Simons

Too often and for too long, people with mental illness have been regarded by others around them as disasters waiting to happen. When we don’t distinguish between people with a mental illness who are dangerous to society a