Importance of Mental Health

Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year. People struggling with their mental health may be in our family, live next door, teach our children or work in the next cubicle.

However, only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to mental health. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and increased risk of suicide.

What Is Stigma?

Stigma involves negative attitudes or discrimination against someone based on a distinguishing characteristic such as a mental illness, health condition, or disability. Social stigmas can also be related to other characteristics including gender, sexuality, race, religion, and culture.

Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health is still common. While stigma is not limited to mental conditions, attitudes towards psychiatric illnesses tend to be more negative than that toward medical conditions.

What Exactly is a Mental Illness?

A mental illness is a physical illness of the brain that causes disturbances in thinking, behaviour, energy or emotion that make it difficult
to cope with the ordinary demands of life. Research is starting to uncover the complicated causes of these diseases which can include genetics, brain chemistry, brain structure, experiencing trauma and/or having another medical condition, like heart disease.

The two most common mental health conditions are:

Anxiety Disorders – More than 18% of adults each year struggle with some type of anxiety disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (panic attacks), generalized anxiety disorder and specific phobias.

Mood Disorders – Mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar depression, affect nearly 10% of adults each year and are characterized by difficulties in regulating one’s moods.

Why does stigma exist?

Stigma exists mainly because some people don’t understand mental illness, and also because some people have negative attitudes or beliefs towards it. Even some mental health professionals have negative beliefs about the people they care for.

Media can also play a part in reinforcing a stigma by:

• portraying inaccurate stereotypes about people with a mental illness
• sensationalizing situations through unwarranted references to mental illness
• using demeaning or hostile language

For example, if a part of the media associate’s mental illness with violence, that promotes the myth that all people with a mental illness are dangerous. In fact, research shows people with mental illness are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.

How to deal with stigma?

Here are some ways to deal with stigma.

Don’t believe that you are your illness

Someone with a broken ankle is not a broken ankle

— they are more than their illness. So are you.

If you have bipolar disorder, say ‘I have bipolar disorder’ rather than ‘I’m bipolar’. If you convince yourself first that you’re a person, not a walking illness, others will find it easier to see you that way too.

Don’t take it personally

Most discrimination comes from people who don’t understand or have little or no experience of mental illness. Try to consider it as their problem, not yours.

Use facts

Mental illness is common. It is not a sign of weakness. Learn some useful facts and figures, and tell people about it.

Tell your story (if you want)

The more mental illness remains hidden, the more people think it must be something to be ashamed of. You can choose how much you reveal about your life.

Choose who you deal with

That’s easier in some places than others. For example, it’s hard to do that at work but much easier with friends. Some people get it when you talk to them; others never will.

Reducing stigma

To help in reducing mental health stigma, it’s important to understand what someone with mental illness may be going through.

It’s important to know that people with mental illness have the same rights as everybody else.

When negative stereotypes come up in conversation or in the media, you can actively dispel myths and educate people against harmful, inaccurate stereotyping.

Be mindful about the words you use when describing yourself and others, avoiding insensitive and hurtful words, such as ‘nutter’, ‘loopy’, ‘crazy’ and ‘psycho’.

We are here to help you with dealing with mental illness stigma.

For immediate counselling assistance, MAVIE CARE.

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