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October Editorials: The Stigma around Mental Health

Health & Mind Club

It is no secret that even in this day and age, there is a great deal of stigma around mental health that still remains. Anyone who who has had experiences with mental illnesses, personally or professionally, can tell you that despite the advances in psychology and psychiatry, the stigma around mental health is still very prominent.


The stigma associated with mental illness can be divided into two types:


1) Social stigma, which involves the prejudiced attitudes that others have around mental

illness.


2) Self-perceived stigma, which involves an internalised stigma that the person with the

mental illness suffers from.


People with mental health problems say that the stigma attached to mental health and the

discrimination they face can make their recovery much harder.

Mental illness is very common, affecting thousands of people around the world, around one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives.

Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives. This is because society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental ill health are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.


Stigma and discrimination can also worsen someone's mental health problems, and delay their getting help and treatment. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental illnesses.


Most people who live with mental illness have, at some point, been blamed for their condition and have even been called names. Their symptoms have been referred to as “a phase”, something they can control “if they only tried” and often, their symptoms are dismissed as being fake.


Stigma causes people to feel ashamed for something that is out of their control. Worst of all, stigma prevents people from seeking the help they need. For a group of people who already carry such a heavy burden, stigma is an unacceptable addition to their pain. And while stigma has reduced in recent years, the pace of progress has not been quick enough.

So the question on how to fight this stigma arises, and here are the following ways each of us can help make a change.


1) Talk Openly About Mental Health

2) Educate Yourself and Others

3) Be Conscious of Language- avoid using mental health conditions like adjectives

4) Encourage Equality between Physical and Mental Illnesses

5) Show Compassion For Those With Mental Illnesses

6) Be Honest About Treatment


No matter how you contribute to the mental health movement, you can make a difference simply by knowing that mental illness is not anyone’s fault and that everyone is fighting their own battle.


Others' judgments almost always stem from a lack of understanding rather than information based on facts and just by simply spreading awareness, you can help numerous undergoing such stigma.


- Mehweesh Tahir

 
 
 

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Comments


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Mrs. Elizabeth Mathew

Having good mental health is key to the healthy development and well-being of every child. Children need good mental health - not only to be able to deal with challenges and adapt to change, but so they can feel good about themselves, build healthy relationships with others and enjoy life.

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Emin Binu

It is said that you must treat your body like a temple and the greatest of pillars have the strongest of bases. If your body is that pillar then your mind is that base. The discourse around mental health in school has exponentially increased and the Health and Mind Club has played a massive role in making that happen. It gives me immense pleasure to be leading the club and encouraging our members to use the club as a catalyst for the mental well being of the school. We strive to stamp out the stigma and provide an all inviting, all accepting platform.

Ask us anything :)

Thanks! We will get back to you very shortly

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Hrithika Pillai

Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going."
Mental health is equally important as physical health. It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which affects our day to day life. 
The aim of the Health & Mind Club is to  ensure that we students have a healthy and positive mindset.

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Serah Prakkat

Serah Prakkat is an alumni of the University of Washington, Seattle. She graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences in Psychology and minor in Informatics. She took care of outreach, marketing and conducting workshops while being an active member and contributor to MHEA. She looks forward to joining Microsoft as a full time employee and is now working with the MHEA team on a research paper

Mental Health for Every Adolescent Website (MHEA University of Washington)

Designed and maintained by- IT team, H&M club

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