5) Be a role model. Stigma is often fueled by lack of awareness and inaccurate information. Model these stigma-reducing strategies through your comments and behavior and politely teach them to your friends, family, co-workers and others in your sphere of influence. Spread the word that treatment works and recovery are possible. Changing attitudes takes time,…
It is a psychological state in which you may have learned to believe that you are helpless in particular situations. You may feel that you have no control over your life and “give up.” The result is that you have learned to remain passive in the face of unpleasant, harmful or damaging circumstances, even when…
How do we stop stigma? Conversation. Try these simple tips for talking. There’s a bunch of good information here about what to say, what not to say, etc. It matters. There are people around you dealing with mental health issues that you know about, and what you say to them matters not just to them,…
It gets better. I hate to admit it. Thinking back on it, the reason I hated everyone who told me that was because I didn’t want it to get better. I wanted to let my depression win. My depression was the pilot for a long time. He had control and he flew my plane. Until…
It’s hoped this film, released by police after an appalling case of child grooming, rape and murder, will help parents, guardians and youngsters everywhere understand the dangers of online exploitation. It’s worth a watch, if for no other reason than to see how this sort of thing can escalate very quickly. In this case, the…
“According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 … [it] is often the result of mental health conditions that affect people when they are most vulnerable.” Many of us assume that suicide could never happen to someone we love … but…
