Why does most of people are afraid to speak about mental illness they see it as a stigma, they hide it and try to manipulate our feelings like it doesn't matter, We need to be able to talk about Mental Health like it's second nature. This Stigma needs to end. If we can't talk about it then it will never heal.
Mental illness isn't a stigma - Anxiety and Depre...
Mental illness isn't a stigma
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54 Replies
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Mental illness is not a stigma in America for sure. Look at President Biden, he had emergency surgery for two brain aneurysms in 1988 that posed the risk of impaired cognitive capabilities, or worse. You don’t have to worry 👍
• in reply to
What does brain aneurysm surgery have to do with mental health, brain aneurysm means that o2 isn't going to brain because of multiple factors as blood clots, etc I don't know about us but were i live mental illness is being stigmatized. It being reviewed as a disability and i think beside usa its a global problem.
• in reply to
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/162... I just attached the link for you to see the correlation between mental health, anxiety, and depression in patients with cerebral aneurysms.
Second, mental illness is not a global problem because there is no global epidemic. Data relies on people self-reporting their feelings so it is false to conclude it as a global problem.
• in reply to
psychiatry.org/patients-fam....
American psychiatric association is talking about this problems and yo can read it yourself to get the bigger pic, and who there's alot of organizations putting a highlight on this problem because some people doesn't know how big it affects their lives, 😊
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Oh For sure mental illness affects people lives, there’s no doubt. I am a healthcare worker myself so i experience daily. I sent you the link from Pubmed to show you how brain aneurysm affects mental health not only simply blood clot factor. By fixated on the term, you just create stigma for yourself.
Blueruth• in reply to
It could be a global problem. Events can cause major depression which is a mental illness. COVID has been more than a little stressful. Climate change is becoming more and more of a stressor especially for gen z. These are side effects of global issues it is good that more insurance companies cover therapy outright because it is really needed.
• in reply toBlueruth
Is it a wide spread in global population? Yes! Global Problem?! No! Why?: First, to bust some myths: there is no global epidemic. It is not growing exponentially. It is not a disease of western capitalism.
Second, a warning. Data is remarkably patchy. It relies on people self-reporting their feelings, never the best foundation for accurate information.
Yes, for sure mental illness is now recognised as one of the biggest causes of individual distress and misery in our societies and cities, comparable to poverty and unemployment.
Know the difference between those two will stop this speculation. Whoever wants to hold on to mental illness as a stigma can go ahead 👍.
• in reply to
An epidemic is defined as "an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population."
An epidemic is an event in which a disease is actively spreading.
Second thing is that mental illness stigma isn't based on data of people reporting, if you read this article i posted from American psychiatric association is talking about it you will know what i am saying and its not a myth, if so there wouldn't be a world mental health day on 10th of October, and it wouldn't be mentioned in a big American association as i mentioned before WHO, American psychiatric association.
Around one in four people will experience mental ill health at some point in their lives, and this year alone around 450 million people worldwide have a mental health condition. Our research shows that in many countries 80 to 90% of them experience negative stigma and discrimination. It's a research on why mental illness is getting stigmatized. I hope you read more of this problem i guess as you said u are a health care worker so you should be aware of this. 😁
And we don't want to hold it as a stigma it's really happening maybe it doesn't happened to you but there's a lot of people getting stigmatized on a daily basis.
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The title of your post is mental illness is NOT a stigma so I replied you with an encouragement you can be whoever you want to be in life by example of Biden with brain aneurysm can still be a president of USA but I guess you didn’t like that perspective by questioning:”What does brain aneurysm surgery have to do with mental health?” 😵😵😵 Listen up now☝️I acknowledge your stigma so what is your next disappointment?!!! 🥴🥴 🥴 It’s a rhetorical question, don’t answer, I’ll stay tune on your upcoming posts 😅😅😅
• in reply to
Stay tuned 😊😉❤️
• in reply to
Don’t think too hard... 😉🙃😅
• in reply to
Hahaha same to you 😃🙏
Blueruth• in reply to
Great, what is your definition of a stigma? Based on my definition you come across as invalidating other people’s experience.
Isinatra• in reply to
You took the words right out of my mouth. If you are a human being, you are susceptible to mental illness. Distance doesn’t prevent you from having mental health issues. It definitely is a global disease. To say otherwise would be naive. ❤️🏄♀️
• in reply toIsinatra
Thank you i really appreciate your words i hope one day we can spread the awareness about this issue, my friend who is depressed he got rejected when he applied for a job the hr stated to him you have mental illness we can't let you work here, unfortunately at least once in your life someone will experience this kind of stigma i hope it's stop.
Isinatra• in reply to
My stigma experience, unfortunately, began with my family and still goes on today. I’m treated like I’m a delicate little flower, no credibility and when I speak my thoughts, they indicate that I’m getting upset so just ignore her. I understand that they don’t understand. I have noticed , in my lifetime, more people have become much more open to discuss their mental health issues. Almost eager to do so. I’m in the U.S.. Not sure if that really has anything to do with it. Slightly off topic, the stigma surrounding alcoholism, to me is worse than mental illness. Especially when they usually go hand in hand. Less people want to share about their problems with alcohol, thus less likely to receive treatment. Sigh....❤️🏄♀️
Blueruth• in reply to
Meme...What country does your friend live in?
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I mean you are correct in that it's not a global problem as there is little someone in Asia can do for someone in the Canada. It's specific to the individual and their circumstances. However, that being said it is a national issue for a government for several reasons. Namely providing access to adequate mental health care. And for orienting their economy and politics in a way that does not entail that people suffer. And we can look at other metrics aside form self reporting to figure out if mental illness is increasing. First we can look at the number of people actually being diagnosed each year, as diagnosis is not the same as self reporting. This number has been increasing steadily every year. Though for some issues like autism for example it's because the testing criteria has become more open and accessible. We can also look at suicide rates in countries like the US and Japan. Both have had steadily increasing suicide rates since the 1990's. This doesn't give us an indicator of the exact reasons, meaning it could be related to economy or perhaps even the society. But we can say regardless that it is a mental health issue that is on the rise. I am not saying we should judge or hold stigma against these people. I am only pointing out that while we cannot say mental health is a global issue like human rights or climate change, we can say it is a national issue and thus that specific nations should do something about the underlying causes. Also, suicide has become a leading cause of death in the US which is another indicator that people are struggling with mental health and it's a problem that needs to be addressed at the national level. So while suicide is not growing exponentially it is growing at an alarming rate, and has been for some time.
nimh.nih.gov/health/statist...
cdc.gov/nchs/products/datab...
• in reply to
Sure thing endofheartache1290. Best wishes on your healing path 🙏
Nonna60• in reply to
You are a Healthcare worker? May I ask in what area? It doesn't appear that you are in the area of mental health and that your statement is just a political sway which has no place on this blog. Honestly, admins, this helps no one.
Roxylox• in reply to
Where I live situation isn't great either. People here are supposed to be enlightened, they are not at all really. I am not from USA. Here I'm pretty certain people wih a mental health issue are viewed as lesser people, and not trustworthy.
I feel we are often the most empathetic and honest. You are right that stigma around mental health must stop, l feel perhaps lives are being lost because of that stigma.
Well maybe I'm a bit biased on this issue but I don't feel that my mental issues are necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps we are just more highly evolved and feel things more deeply that the so called normals. Maybe we're seeing the world a bit differently because we know that things do not have to be this way. Historically speaking, our greatest minds, best writers, artists, musicians all had "issues". Maybe "issues" are a side effect of genius.
Mental illness has been used as a threat or weapon or to shame. Hysterical was an “ailment” to describe women who didn’t fall in line or who were lgbtq. If there was money they were shamed and whisked away. Read the yellow wallpaper. Also read about “mothers little helper”. Not the song.
I agree with others that a lot of “illness” is just a different way of thinking or learning or behaving and generally harmless and a gift. There are cultures that have embraced these differences rather than hiding them. But we had an industrial revolution. Being different doesn’t fit well in manufacturing. It doesn’t fit well in college either. The 21st century has been called the empathic century so may it is getting better. Anyway that is one part of the history.
Would like to give you an example of unfairness, I ued to work as a part-tine cleaner in a care home for intellectually disabled clients. I overheard one careworker (in her 30s) asking the others after she found out I had bipolar"Should she be working here? I don't know how they answered, but I was absolutely horrified! I was very well all the time I worked there, never missed a day and had a great rapport with the clients.
Ignorance knows no boundaries. Einstein said the difference between stupidity & genius is that genius has its limits.
• in reply toPinkie56
found that out in 2016!!!😱
I suspect I lost a job after a depressive episode. Suspect because there were other things going on. But I was in really bad shape so I ended up checking into the hospital. I never told them but they probably suspected. That summer was a sh*t show anyway. If it wasn’t such a stigma I could have said I was not well and been fine. I was only gone a couple of days. No longer than a flu.
I am so sorry to hear that. Things can be very unfair for us. It can be easy for those I charge to make up another excuse for their Treatment of us. Are you able to work now? I have just a few hours in the week, but that business is temporarily closed due to lockdown.
You are so right
very true stigma need not be a stumbling block to Mental Health being able to raise above any concerns removing any incapacity owning you're space finding clarity of essential needs best of interests and ability to change any stumbling blocks with reassurance without doubt pressures or risk understanding ability and self care finding clarity and focus in the midst lightened Burdens self perspective be motivated to make change that reflects
I don't see mental health as a stigma, I've had mental health since I was 12 years old and phsycosis, I had a brother who committed suicide when I was 21, I've never ever heard of stigma, I also don't understand why you are haveing a big debate with some one who has been telling you their opinions, after all your post is what you dident understand about stigma, I see the world is talking about it, the whole world, they spoke about it when the famous have it, I certainly never hide it, and be manipulative, something must have rattled your cage.best wishes🌺
As you can see from other posts, plenty of us are being stigmatised, those who haven't experienced it are just lucky, I fully understand the kind meaning of your post, and you were not having a go at anyone. We all know only too well what we experienced Hope you have a good day
• in reply toRoxylox
Thank you, that's why i was trying to help others feeling that they aren't alone, because when i was stigmatized by someone for having stress and anxiety i felt horrible about myself couldn't speak about my problems around anyone just keot it to myself.
Roxylox• in reply to
Of course holding it in was going to make your stress and anxiety worse. The locality I live in would not be very open. People here anyway can be very narrow - minded. I think many of them don't realise we are intelligent people with valid opinions
I have had the best conversations with people I have met in Wellness centres.
This is true meme. I think the lack of understanding is the cause of all this. Maybe, if media were to speak more about it, that would help. As it is, I have a neighbor who is bipolar. She has a son and would not even get medication for it bcz of the stigma. She is a manager in a prestigious company but she is getting worse but would not do anything about it in fear off what people will do to his son, they might take him away from her. Kids would laugh at him. So, ur posts is very valid. I wish something can realy be done.
• in reply to
Yess, thank you my parents always refused to take me to therapist they say our family will think that i am crazy but it's normal to have any kind of mental illness but some people will just bury it under the ground and pretend that everything is okay, that's why suicidal rate is increasing. I hope one day people can express their feelings more without being looked at to as a weird
• in reply to
I will be honest though. Before that dark time of my life, I never realy paid any attention to mental illness but now it realy is a serious issue that awareness is needed. I have seen many teenagers who suffer so much from mental illness and want to commit suicide, mind you, teenagers are in this intense pressure and suffering mentally can ruin them. I am sorry your parents did that to you. To think that they took away healing from you. But they did not know better and I know you would do better should any of ur kids suffer from which I would not wish for, but realy.Thank you
Mental health issues are seen as a weakness and that is the stigma that surrounds it !
There are many things you'd not be trusted with, a position of responsibility for instance, will that person crack under the stress of it ! Someone who has no history of mental health issues would be trusted more but thats not to say they'll not start to suffer themselves.....the Stigma !
Even in relationships one side might have no experience of mental health issues and yet try to be patient with the other side who has while trying to understand them, but even this can be tiring for those who don't know and then comes resentment and making slight underhand comments.
But the stigma is that mental health issues are associated with mental weakness and a unstable personality !!
I'm afraid all you said is very true . The word weakness was in my head earlier, but I was afraid to post it in case of causing offence. I have heard it referred to as a weakness. In actual fact our personalities can be stronger because we have had to battle so much. If people would only trust us they might realise we can relate sympathetically and authentically to others because of our lived experience.
You described the stigma in a nut shell.
And there lies the stigma, you were afraid to say it but it's the truth, that mental illness is weakness !
Many people won't say at a job interview that they suffer from mental illness, because they are afraid it will dent their chance of that opportunity ! And truth is it might !.....
But,
My own mental illness or anxiety and depression were caused by a death like many others, some through challenging lives for instance being gay, bi or trans. For some women it's menopause. We all have our own story !!
But,
It isn't a illness, but a symptom of life and the difficulties we have while we are here.
I'm not ill at all and never was !
I'm experienced in life, sit down with me and I will tell you all about it and how, like everyone else who manages to keep going, overcame and carried on !!
Mine was also caused by a death.
Then last year I was very hurt by workplace bullying, but did not become ill because of it. I know if I hadn't left when I did l would have broken down. It would have been all down to those nasty workmates if I had become ill, but I am almost 100% certain they would have put a breakdown as being part of my condition and supposed weirdness.
It would never have occurred to them that they were responsible.
I felt l was treated as a lesser person in every way. After I confronted the manager about her poor treatment of me, I overheard her say to someone else - " We'll have her put away for the mad person she is". Somebody else did speak up saying that those days are gone, definitely showing scorn to the manager.
As you say, life experience n is nearly always the cause of mental health issues. I have just about overcome the bullying experience now, and even though I wasn't ill because of it, I was hurt and my confidence was dented.
Everybody has their troubles at the end of the day, C'est la vie. Onwards and upwards.
In Sweden we're not used to talking to each other openly of how we feel. We sort of expect people to be well or otherwise institutionalized and we're not very nuanced as to how people feel and what it means to them.
Absolutely agree but as "understanding and equal opportunity" as we claim to be, the stigma does exist. It exists in getting a job, posting on social media sites and everything from family to friends.
I believe it is an underlying fear and ignorance. They go together. AKA "Fear of the unknown". There is also a fear of how to help or interact. Most people without these issues see it from the "outsider" perspective and really are not able to be compassionate in way that does not feel patronizing. I think education and treatment are very important.
If we can educate our friends and family to know what we are experiencing and how they can best respond, that's huge! Some office environments may be accommodating but they are few and far between. Most of us must manage our conditions as best we can for work and interactions with strangers. When it substantially impacts our work performance, I think it is up to us to figure this out either on our own or with our therapist.
We need to be accepting of this incompatibility and chart another course ourselves that will work better. It may be working remotely as a consultant or changing careers. If we can become reasonable and see clearly, we are much more likely to find a life that works for us. I subscribe to letting go of what we envisioned our lives would be and creating the life that makes us happier within the context we live in now.
Regardless of our illness, we learn so much from experiencing these deep emotions and feeling as we do. If we seek out treatment and help the people we love to to understand what we are experiencing, life can be better. That is what I strive for.
Stay strong and take it one step at a time.
The discussion of destigmatizing mental illness is one that is ongoing, worldwide. I appreciate the fact that you have highlighted the importance of this issue.👏
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