Part I: Stop the Stigma
Even though in today’s society there are many things spoken about that have been silent until now, mental illness is something that still has huge stigma around it. For people who don’t know what that is, it literally means “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.”
Every year, millions of people are diagnosed with some sort of mental disorder. Not everyone seeks treatment either, and of those who do, less than half of them complete their prescribed treatment. Why? Because of the massive stigma associated with mental health! People are embarrassed and even afraid to seek help and treatment, because of the negativity and being “put in a box”. We don’t like to be labeled. But if there were less stigma and negative labeling, there would be more people reaching out for help, less people struggling, less suicide, more compassion, and more understanding. If you aren’t a person who suffers from mental health issues, that doesn’t make it less real, debilitating and awful for those of us who do. If there were to be less shaming and more acceptance and support, we could lose the stigma altogether.
What are some things you can do to help fight the stigma of mental illness?
Here are a few things you can do if you are not one who suffers with mental illness:
- Educate yourself. You can learn about mental illnesses and teach others, so that awareness can be raised. Awareness is necessary to stop the stigma; awareness and talking about it need to happen, because the only way it will stop, is by talking about it.
- Show compassion. You may not be able to have empathy for those who are struggling, but you sure can offer compassion. Be a friend. Encourage. Don’t shame people for how they feel! Instead, encourage them and let them know that they are not alone, and that you are there for them through their dark times.
- Be respectful and aware when you are talking about mental health. There can be many sensitive and triggering topics for those who are suffering, including things like suicide and self harm. Don’t use insensitive terms for people with mental health issues, such as “crazies”, “lunatics”, and “psychos”. Be kind. Be sensitive. Be respectful. They are people too, and no different from someone who has a different illness or a broken bone.
- Remember that it takes time for people to heal. Recovery isn’t something that happens overnight, ant-depressants aren’t automatic “happy pills”, and these bouts of depression or anxiety or highs or lows of sorts are not something that can be controlled by the person. They can’t just “snap out of it” or “get over it”. Saying those things to people can be incredibly hurtful and that may cause even more problems for them. They will feel worthless and no good. They will believe that you do not really care. Please, be patient. Just be there, and remember that this takes time.
Here are a few things you can do if you do suffer with mental health problems:
- Talk openly. One of the hardest things to do is to talk to someone and admit that you are struggling with a mental illness. No one wants to say that they are feeling depressed, or having anxiety attacks, or even to admit that they are struggling at all. But for the sake of yourself, your loved ones, and others suffering as well, you need to be open, if you can. I know how difficult it is, and that it can take time, of course. But do try. It will help you, others, and will help lessen the stigma.
- Reach out. Talk to a friend or a family member, or if you are uncomfortable talking to those close with you about this, see your doctor and he or she will refer you to a psychologist if they believe it is necessary, and you will have someone you can open up to. Don’t be afraid to seek help. What you are going through is real, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. It is a painful struggle to go through, and even more painful to go through it alone. But you don’t have to. Reach out, and you will get the help you need.
- Avoid self-stigma. Don’t stigmatize yourself and put yourself into a box. Your illness is not who you are, and it does not define you. You aren’t a depressed person, you suffer from depression. You aren’t bipolar, you suffer from bipolar disorder. This isn’t your fault! Don’t beat yourself up because there is a chemical imbalance inside your brain or another health issue causing this. Instead, try to accept what is going on inside your mind. This is not you, this is something that has happened to you. It will not define you, but it will help shape the person you are going to be. Don’t drag yourself down because of your illness. And with less self-stigma, you will be able to help others more, and this will bring out more compassion and empathy, therefore creating awareness and helping to stop the mental illness stigma.
In conclusion, I think that most of this is simply about raising awareness and having compassion. There are a lot of ways we can raise awareness to fight the stigma of mental illness. Some people are wearing jewellery, clothing, and even getting tattoos, of the semicolon ( ; ) which represents “My story isn’t over yet”. This is becoming better known and is helping to spread awareness, and causing less fear of being open about their mental health struggles. More people are speaking out and telling their stories, which is bringing more awareness and slowly creating more understanding to those who don’t seem to “get it”. In time, I believe this will happen. The stigma will be broken, and the people who are hurting will be understood. But we all need to play a part in making this happen. Don’t be afraid to speak out. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, be open, and be real.
Thank you for reading this, bless you all.
Julie xo
