The stigma associated with mental illness is now called “sanism.” Just like racism or sexism, it is a form of oppression and discrimination. And there is a lot of sanism and misinformation surrounding mental illness still present within our society. It’s up to us, the mental health community, to educate others and set the record […]
[…] wrong and counterproductive. Because I gave up so much of myself, I resented my spouse. I grew distant from friends and family, in part due to the stigma of her illness and fear that they would not understand. Between looking after my spouse and work, I had little, if any, time for other […]
[…] my depression and anxiety medication. I think we're getting better at talking about mental health. Even mentioning a therapist isn't as taboo as it used to be. But there's still so much stigma around using medication to treat mental illness. Unfortunately, it was stigma that delayed me taking the medication I needed to feel okay. I spent years doing everything I could to avoid needing to be on meds. I […]
[…] my mental health. I have perfectionist tendencies, some internalized shame, and am constantly aware of what others may think of me. And it makes sense. Breaking Down Stigma in the Latinx Community Research shows that in the Latinx/Hispanic population, older adults and youth are more susceptible to mental distress relating to immigration and acculturation. This […]
[…] a moose. Deal with it.” We can follow its example and say, “I live with a mental illness. Deal with it.” In other words, moose are anti- stigma animals. Sometimes society would rather not notice those of us who live with a mental illness and treats us as if we are second class citizens. […]
[…] day-by-day. It is an achievement. You must believe that you are strong. You are. Mental illness may have made you stronger than most. But still, there is stigma. It can really hurt. It says terrible, awful things about us. It holds us back, but it doesn’t realize how resilient we are. Stigma lies. Don’t […]
[…] diagnoses that have no cure, I was left feeling even more helpless and discouraged than before. To make matters worse, mental health labels are often associated with stigma. For me, these labels represented my shame and the stigma of how others would perceive me. I let those letters degrade my sense of worth. I […]
[…] I ever, harm another person purposefully. I am not dangerous in the least. I’m simply a human being whose brain protected me so that I could survive. Stigma and Misinformation is Rampant Movies like “Split” and their dramatized versions of mental illness breed misinformation and shape an unhealthy discourse. People have asked me if […]
When you have mental illness, you’re more than likely to encounter some form of discrimination, from social stigma and exclusion to a lack of legal protections. Thankfully, as the mental health community raises awareness and challenges stigma, the larger conversation is beginning to address the discrimination that people with mental illness experience. There is […]
[…] making it a standard part of any treatment plan — that motivates people to focus on mental health and believe in the possibility of recovery. Decreasing Stigma Dental problems have never come with the kind of stigma that accompanies mental health issues. For example, most people would empathize, rather than judge someone, for […]
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text “NAMI” to 62640, or email. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
