Mental Health Stigma - What Can You Do?

What is Stigma?health insurance and jobs because of their history of
Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels whenmental health issues. Consequently, these people lose
describing someone, and it is often attached to peopletheir self confidence and may develop further anxiety
who suffer from mental health issues. We don't fullyor depression, on top of the issues they are already
understand how the brain works yet, but one thing wefacing.
DO know is that it is an organ. Yet our society doesn'tI witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my
readily accept brain disorders the way we acceptbrother 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 mentalto comprehend or cope with his altered personality
health problems, because it prevents them fromand erratic behaviour. Within months he went from
enjoying a normal and productive life. So many peoplebeing 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 thatwatched 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 thethat he took his own life.
stigma that they would rather suffer in silence than getWhat Can We Do?
help they need.All of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious
Here are a few of the most common misconceptionsor 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 characterand 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 violentyou know someone who seems very emotional, down
The media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefsor upset, then lead by example; show compassion and
about mental health issues. Frequently, characters onunderstanding, and encourage them to seek help. And
television and in the movies that have a mental illnessif 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 youYou are licensed to publish this article free of charge,
got better, you would expect to get on with life ason condition that the author's name is included, and the
usual. But it's not that easy for people who suffer fromlink to her website remains visible and clickable to
mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistenthuman readers, and as long as the links can be read
rejections and exclusions by ill-informed members ofand followed by the search engine spiders.
the community. Some people have been denied loans,