Initiatives like Bell Lets Talk Day are important, they get people talking about mental health in an open and honest way. They start deep conversations and provide people with access to tools and resources that can provide a foundation for people to seek help. These initiative are educational and vital.
Mental health isn’t a one day thing though. Mental wellness is something that we need to be considering and talking about everyday of our lives. We’ve made steps to start conversations but not we need to take action. We need to put in the effort make this conversations continue but doing everything we can to educate, advocate and act.
It is believed that 40% of individuals with anxiety and depression don’t seek help because of the stigmas that exist.
Breaking the stigmas that surround mental health, illness and wellness is one way we can do just that. In order to break them though, we need to understand them.
There are actually two different types of stigmas that exists, public stigma and self-stigma. There are also three components to stigmas, stereotype, prejudice and discrimination.
Public stigma, also referred to as social stigma, is the negative stereotypes that are placed on mental illness by the general public. When breaking it doesn’t into the components of a stigma, this is how is can be explained.
STEREOTYPE – the negative beliefs that are tied to all individuals who have a mental illness. This can include the fact that they are all suicidal, aggressive, incompetent or dangerous.
PREJUDICE – this is the agreement of the stereotype or having a negative emotional reaction to it. An example of this would be being fearful of individuals who have a mental illness.
DISCRIMINATION – this is the action that is associated with the feelings. This can include breaking up with someone because they have depression with the stereotype being that they cannot make a good partner.
Self-stigma is the feelings we have towards ourselves in regards to our own mental health and illnesses. This is where we will see people talking about themselves negatively and believing the stereotypes that we see in public stigmas. When referring to the component of a stigma, self-stigma can be explained like this.
STEREOTYPES – the negative beliefs that one has about themselves for having a mental illness. This can be see as believing they are weak or unworthy of love.
PREJUDICE – Having a negative emotional reaction to the stereotype that they believe to be true. This can be an individual dealing with self confidence and self esteem issues.
DISCRIMINATION – this is where the individual acts. An example of this would be isolating yourself and not allowing anyone to become close to you.
We understand stigmas now and the components of how they exist and what they look like. What can we do about them though?
Well, with an increase of discussions occurring around the topic of mental health over the last couple of years there has been a lot of research on this topic. People want to stop just talking, they want to create change. They want to do something. The research done has allowed us to see that there are lots of different ways that we can get involved in helping to end the stigmas.
Want to get involved? Here’s what you can do.
Education
Education is one of the absolute best ways that we can fight against stigmas. Education allows us to learn right from wrong and understand that what we are constantly seeing or hearing isn’t necessarily true. Educational opportunities can include:
- Mental health or psychological first aid
- Attending educational presentations
- Researching
- Talking to a trained professional
- Talking to someone who has lived with, or currently lives with a mental illness
- Talking to loved ones of individuals who have or are currently experiencing a mental illness
- Having open and honest conversations
It’s also important that we take the opportunity educate others whenever we get the chance. If you’re willing to help break the stigmas that surround mental health, you are an advocate. Don’t be afraid to correct someone politely, share the information you have or encourage them to find their own educational opportunities.
Speak Out and Talk Openly
We need to stop talking about mental health like it’s contagious. Us having conversations, asking questions and being willing to speak up can have a both a positive and lasting impact not the topic of mental health.
One way to you can make your work a more mental health friendly facility is by having discussions about mental health. Ask and encourage you employers to talk to their staff, creating anti-discrimination policies and have opportunities for staff to speak up in a safe place.
Get Help
If you are experiencing a mental illness, or are just struggling with your mental health, seek help. By finding a safe place to seek support for your mental health you are actually breaking down self-stigmas. You are helping prevent yourself from feeling the very negative and difficult beliefs that a person can place on themselves.
Seeking help also gives you the opportunity to work through whatever you’re feeling and become an advocate for mental health. You can become an educator, a support system and someone who helps to fight against the negative stereotypes that exist.
Terminology
Terminology and language play important factors in stigmas that surround any topic of idea. At times it can be hard to know what language is seen as positive and what language is seen as negative. Here are a couple of tips and tricks
- Use person first language. Instead of saying “that depressed person”, say “that individual has depression”. This quick and easy change in the way we speak allows us to value the individual before their diagnosis which can positively impact self-stigmas.
- Avoid using medical terminology to describe how you’re feeling. While this may sound weird to some people, saying “I’m depressed” instead of “I’m sad” after a hard day can majorly impact the way people look at mental illnesses. It allows us to avoid downplaying the actual impact that a mental illness can have on a person.
- Avoid terminology that can lead individuals to believe that we don’t believe them or are judging them. Things like “are you sure you’re depressed” or “you’ll be fine, just brush it off”.
It’s also important that we talk to people when they use terminology that we know to be problematic. If you’re polite and honest, most people are willing to listen and reconsider how they’re speaking.
Encourage Equality
One of the biggest stereotypes or stigmas that exist is that physical health is more important than mental health. It’s important that we fight for an encourage equality when looking at all forms of health because they all contribute you our overall wellbeing. Someone who is dealing with suicidal thoughts deserves the same opportunity to seek treatment as someone who is has a concussion.
If our mental health is decreased, it can actually have a negative impact on our physical health and vice versa. We need to encourage people to see the relations between both and remember that what is going on inside our bodies is just as important as what is going on on the outside of our bodies.
Share Your Story
If you have experienced either mental illness or a decrease in mental wellness and you’re willing, open up and share your story. Being courageous enough to share your story with those around you can help provide support and guidance for others who may be struggling with their own mental wellness.
For those dealing with self-stigmas, hearing someones story can allow them break the cycle, possibly even preventing it from happening all together. The problem with self-stigmas is that individuals are being pressured from public stigmas and have become internalizing them. By hearing that individuals have felt the same way and understand what they’re going through, they can understand that what they’re hearing is not the truth.
Stigmas are a major problem in our society. By reading this post you not only have information on stigmas themselves but you also have ways that you can act to break them down.
If we all work together, we can make the world a much more mental health friendly place.
If you’re struggling with mental health issues and need support, my inbox is always open. Even if I cannot personally offer you all the help you need, I can help you find the right resources to ensure you get the help you need.