When we’re in a crowded place and notice that someone is about to fall, instinct compels us to lunge forward and try to keep that person from collapsing. If we notice that someone has actually collapsed, most of us don’t think twice about calling 911, or offering to help however we can.

But if we suspect that someone near to us — whether through work, school or our social circles — is struggling with something that isn’t physical, but mental, we don’t always spring into action. We hesitate, if not divert our gaze entirely.

Stigma is certainly part of the problem. It’s difficult to undo decades of learned beliefs, like “crying is a sign of weakness...

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