Stigma

  • Tomorrow Is World Mental Health Day, and If You Don’t want to Participate, That’s Cool

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 3 minutes

    So let’s get this out there. Tomorrow is a day to raise awareness about the importance of mental health. It’s an opportunity for anyone who is dealing with mental health issues to see that there are many people who get it, and do support them, even if only virtually. It’s also a day to be reminded, sometimes literally, that there is still far too much stigma, and far too little investment, in mental health. That’s not fun. That’s not uplifting.

    Taking care of yourself is an incredibly important part of looking out for your own mental health. Tomorrow is also Saturday. If your mental health will be better off by you not being online tomorrow, go do exactly that. Go enjoy your weekend, and know that I see you, and I feel what you’re saying. Your frustration is my frustration too. Being tired of the stigma, and how hard it is for people to get help is normal. I’m exhausted. I’m tired of talking about it, tired of reading about it, and tired of seeing stories of people who can’t get help when they need it, all around the world. I’m also tired of all the people on social media who make talking about it even harder than it already is, who want to troll, or just create drama because it’s never enough for them. 

    Again, I’m exhausted. I also know how incredibly lucky I was the get help, and I want that same thing available for everyone. So, I’ll find away to continue talking about it here, while also taking care of my own mental health. I hope you will too, even if we don’t all take part in the same events. 

  • If the US Lacks Resources, What Does Mental Health Care in Nigeria Look Like?

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 3 minutes

    In the article there’s even a story of a man who was chained up in a room with no windows for 30 years, who suffered from psychosis. Which is terrible.

    But, isn’t this just the same stigma we have here too? Is it any “better” that we have people living on the streets or in prison when they suffer from psychosis or delusions? Aren’t we just locking them away in a different way, because we understand that we don’t actually have any way to help them, so we just want to ignore the issue?

    In Nigeria, there is less than one psychiatrist per 100,000 people. 0.15, in fact. There is no rational way that someone suffering with psychosis in Nigeria is going to get professional help with those kinds of numbers, yet rather than coming together to support the families involved, they feel so much shame about having a “sick” family member that they try and hide them away for years, or completely abandon them to the streets.

  • Sharing – How to support a friend facing depression

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We ask people during times like Suicide Prevention Month to talk, to reach out, to check on their friends, and start conversations, etc. But do we model those behaviors in our day-to-day lives? Do you create an environment, at work, school, home, or in our own communities where talking about mental health issues is just something that we all do, and not a shocking thing to talk about? Because I can guarantee you, someone who is dealing with depression isn’t going to see a social media post about reaching out and do just that without having someone they know will actually help to reach out to. 

    The only way people will know that is if they see that behavior and hear these stories in their own community. Can you be part of creating that? 

  • Links I’m Sharing (weekly) August 30, 2020

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

    The Extra Stigma of Mental Illness for African-Americans Barriers to Help: Q&A With a Mental Health Counselor What Does Mental Health Advocacy Mean To You? Upsurge In Depression And Suicide Among American Workers During The Pandemic And What Needs To Be Done What I Wish I Had Said about Mental Health and Suicide 10 Virtual…

  • Sharing – Researchers Doubt That Certain Mental Disorders Are Disorders At All

    ByMikeM Reading Time: 2 minutes

    On one hand, I think we could eliminate a lot of the stigma around depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD if we understood them to be fairly common, and normal responses to abnormal events.

    On the other though, I’m concerned that trying to explain away something that can be as debilitating as depression can be could lead to an increase in people not taking it seriously. Which could lead to people not getting help as needed for it, and being blamed for not just dealing with it, etc.

    I also worry that if we define mental health conditions very strictly, we’ll be increasing the stigma of those with other disorders like bipolar, or schizophrenia.