| What is Stigma? | | | | health insurance and jobs because of their history of |
| Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels when | | | | mental health issues. Consequently, these people lose |
| describing someone, and it is often attached to people | | | | their self confidence and may develop further anxiety |
| who suffer from mental health issues. We don't fully | | | | or depression, on top of the issues they are already |
| understand how the brain works yet, but one thing we | | | | facing. |
| DO know is that it is an organ. Yet our society doesn't | | | | I witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my |
| readily accept brain disorders the way we accept | | | | brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The |
| other organ disorders. Why is this so? | | | | majority of his friends deserted him; they weren't able |
| Stigma is a harsh reality for people who have mental | | | | to comprehend or cope with his altered personality |
| health problems, because it prevents them from | | | | and erratic behaviour. Within months he went from |
| enjoying a normal and productive life. So many people | | | | being a popular, vivacious and outgoing young man to |
| today feel uncomfortable about mental health issues, | | | | a shattered, isolated loner. Over the following months, I |
| despite the fact that there is growing evidence that | | | | watched my brother sink deeper into debilitating |
| more and more people are developing these problems. | | | | depression, which ultimately became so unbearable |
| In fact, many people are so uncomfortable with the | | | | that he took his own life. |
| stigma that they would rather suffer in silence than get | | | | What Can We Do? |
| help they need. | | | | All of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious |
| Here are a few of the most common misconceptions | | | | or angry. We might even have a series of bad days, |
| about mental health problems: | | | | where we think that nothing will ever go right for us |
| Mentally ill people have a weak character | | | | and the world is against us. For a mentally ill person, |
| Mentally ill people are potentially dangerous. | | | | these feelings do not go away. |
| People with mental illness should just "snap out of it" | | | | So the answer lies in education and understanding. If |
| Mentally ill people are violent | | | | you know someone who seems very emotional, down |
| The media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefs | | | | or upset, then lead by example; show compassion and |
| about mental health issues. Frequently, characters on | | | | understanding, and encourage them to seek help. And |
| television and in the movies that have a mental illness | | | | if you're suffering silently yourself, take comfort in the |
| are depicted as dangerous, unpredictable and violent. | | | | fact that you're not alone and that there is hope. |
| What Are the Effects of Stigma? | | | | *** |
| If you became ill you would go to a doctor. Once you | | | | You are licensed to publish this article free of charge, |
| got better, you would expect to get on with life as | | | | on condition that the author's name is included, and the |
| usual. But it's not that easy for people who suffer from | | | | link to her website remains visible and clickable to |
| mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistent | | | | human readers, and as long as the links can be read |
| rejections and exclusions by ill-informed members of | | | | and followed by the search engine spiders. |
| the community. Some people have been denied loans, | | | | |