How can we change the stigma around mental health?

• Mental health is stigmatized because of the lack of understanding on what mental health conditions are.

• Harmful assumptions about people with mental health conditions are the main source of stigma.

• This results in rejection, infantilization (treating someone as a child), avoidance, and etc.

• Examples of stigmas:

• Public stigma: negative attitudes around mental health from people in society

• Self stigma: internalized stigma that people with mental health conditions feel

• Institutional stigma: arises from corporations, governments, etc and causes discrimination against mental health conditions
  

• Effects of stigma and discrimination:

• Mental: more likely to experience low self esteem and lower self confidence

• May lead to difficulty of seeking treatment or following through with treatment

• Some may experience increased symptoms or develop new symptoms

• May also hinder someone’s recovery
  

• Social: can lead to isolation from friends or family

• May experience bullying or harassment or physical violence

• Can be difficult for people with these conditions to build relationships with people who have a judgmental view 
  

• Professional: can lead to fewer opportunities for those to excel at school or work 

• May have difficulty fulfilling school or work obligations due to mental health, especially if individuals have problems with peers
  

• How to reduce stigma and discrimination: 

• Learn about mental health: Taking the steps towards educating yourself and others about it can reduce fear, misunderstanding, and judgment

• Use words carefully: Words like “crazy” or “insane” produce negative connotations that contribute to judgment and stigmatization

• Sharing your story: if you are someone with mental health conditions, sharing your story helps reduce the stigma 
  

• Getting Support:

• If you are suffering from a mental health condition, you are not alone

• Resources that provide education, awareness, and support:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• American Psychological Association (APA) 

• National Center for Transgender Equality
  

Mental health stigmas affect the lives of people living with these conditions. Being more mindful about how we speak to others and educating ourselves can reduce the stigma against mental health. We have come so far in society with sparking up conversations regarding mental health, this should only increase.