Labels lead to stigma
– a word that means branding & shame. And,
stigma leads to discrimination. Most people would
agree that it is wrong to discriminate against people
because of their race, religion, culture, sexual orientation
or appearance. Yet we are less aware of how people
with mental illness are discriminated against.
The stigma of mental
illness prevents people from getting the treatment
& support they need in order to live healthy lives.
Stigma is not just a matter of using a wrong word
or action. Stigma is about disrespect. It is the use
of negative labels to identify a person living with
mental illness.
Words like “crazy”,
“cuckoo”, “nutso”, “psycho”,
& “wacko” are a few examples of words
that perpetuate the stigma of mental illness. These
words belittle & offend people with mental health
problems. It is usually not said intending to harm
anyone. Yet we wouldn’t make fun of or mock
someone for having a physical illness like diabetes,
heart disease or cancer. Whether intended or not,
it is cruel to make fun of someone with a mental illness.
THE FACTS
Mental illness (e.g. depression, anxiety,
bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) is more widespread
than people realize. According to a 2005 survey by
the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
an estimated 24.6 million adults age 18 or older experience
serious psychological distress which is highly correlated
with serious mental illness. Mental illness can happen
to anyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age
or background.
Nearly 1 out of 5 persons
ages 18 to 24 report having a mental illness. Major
depression & anxiety disorders are the most prevalent
mental health problems experienced by young adults.
Even though an estimated 22 to 23 percent of the U.S.
population experiences a mental disorder in any given
year, almost half of these individuals do not seek
treatment.
Stigma discourages
people from getting help. Many people don’t
seek treatment because they don’t want to be
labeled as “mentally ill” or “crazy”.
Yet early professional services are the best way to
prevent an illness from getting worse.
Stigma leads
to fear, mistrust & violence. Even though
the vast majority of people who have mental illnesses
are no more violent than anyone else, television often
portrays the mentally ill as violent. These inaccurate
portrayals lead people to fear those who have mental
illness.
Stigma results
in prejudice & discrimination. Some employers
are reluctant to hire people who have mental illnesses.
Some try to prevent people with mental illnesses from
living in their neighborhoods.
Stigma results
in inadequate insurance coverage. Many insurance
plans do not cover mental health services to the same
degree as other illnesses. When mental illnesses are
covered, coverage is often limited, inappropriate
or inadequate.
ONE INDIVIDUAL’S
PERSPECTIVE
To better understand the thought process of an individual
seeking mental health services, one individual has
shared her thoughts. She notes the following:
Diagnosis is
Vital. Having suffered from depression &
anxiety most of my adult life, I would have to say
that no one wants this diagnosis or mush less, even
wants to share—ever—this knowledge to
the outside world for fear of someone’s adverse
reaction. For people suffering from these disorders,
you basically know something about you is different.
Your symptoms throughout life can range from mild
to severe, depending on a variety of factors.
To best describe these
variances, let’s use the following analogy.
Pretend for a moment that you are a musician in an
orchestra comprising the population of your community.
Depending on your personality traits, you play a certain
instrument. The music your instrument plays symbolizes
your communication skills & your life skills to
interact with the world. Depression & anxiety
can range from subtle, meaning your instrument may
be slightly out tune & no one really notices,
but you, to severe, meaning one or more strings on
the violin are broken & need to be repaired.
Getting Beyond the Social
Stigmas. Indeed the very words “mental illness”
are couched in such difficult & shaming stereotypes
that people tend to postpone getting help or even
discussing these problems with family members. “Toughing”
it out on your own becomes a way of life. Would we
ask a heart patient to tough it out & not have
life saving angioplasty if it improved the quality
of life? Or, would we ask a diabetic patient to only
take one shot of insulin per day instead of the prescribed
four shots because it’s just too shameful to
have diabetes?
Like anyone dealing with
chronic illness, patients suffering from depression
&
anxiety need treatment, compassion, support, encouragement,
understanding, acceptance, & education. Their
families need it too. Just as heart disease &
diabetes runs in families, depression & anxiety
also have a genetic component.
Formula for Health. Lastly,
the individual has shared her self-developed formula
for health which includes:
