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Prince William Warns About Calling Healthcare Workers "Heroes"

While many people across the globe are applauding the efforts of healthcare and frontline workers everywhere, Prince William warns that the title of "hero" could be doing some harm. In a new documentary, William explained that everyone needs to be careful with the language they use to describe people, because being labeled a hero could place undue stress on a person and keep them from seeking help if they need it.

Before the documentary, Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health, aired last night, William spoke on the BBC's The One Show, saying that we should all commend healthcare workers for their bravery during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also be cognizant of how we're doing it.

"I think we've got to be very careful with the language that we use," William said, the BBC reports. "[Healthcare workers] should rightly be hailed as superstars, and brave, and wonderful staff; but I'm very conscious from a mental health point of view that we don't alienate some of them."

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He went on to explain that as heroes, healthcare workers could feel the pressure to be strong for those around them and neglect themselves in the process.

"Once they have this hero tag, they can no longer shake that, and therefore they can't ask for support," William said. "They have to be this strong pillar of strength, when in actual fact what we need them to be is examples of positive mental health."

William urged everyone, healthcare workers included, to seek help if they need it and not hesitate to reach out to their friends and loved ones. That way, he said, everyone can come out of the pandemic "in one piece."