Have you been a target of stigma because of someone you love’s mental health issues? I can see where this would happen quite frequently, with people judging how well you are “taking care of” your loved one. It’s also ridiculous. “Mental health stigma affects the loved ones of a person with mental illness, not only the…
Edie shares this experience with a new client. Now, there are legal reasons a therapist cannot acknowledge a patient in public, but I’ve seen some cases where the extent of this privacy can also be a bit off-putting. The very first therapist I went to actually had two separate doors to the office. You would…
Mark Brown raises something that someone was just pointing out to me on Twitter earlier this week. Yes, it’s important that people who need help know that seeking help is not a sign of weakness. Erasing that stigma is an important part of dealing with mental health as a society. But, once we’ve helped someone…
I’m not sure how this ever became a thing. Yes,it may be somewhat normal to look around and see that there are other people out there who might have it worse, I’ve never understood using that as an excuse to not get treatment, or to ridicule others. If you broke your arm, you wouldn’t look…
“I joke because, sometimes, I don’t know what else to do. Of course, the stigma against men’s mental health is not funny. When you are told that it is not appropriate to talk about your feelings, when you have limits placed on what is okay and what isn’t okay to talk about, when you are…
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,…
