Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health

You have strep throat.  Although you don’t like going to the doctor, you do it.  You don’t hesitate too much about going except for maybe the fee associated with a medical appointment.  You don’t fear being judged for going to the doctor to get treatment for your sore, red throat.  However, if you are struggling with sadness or struggle with calming racing thoughts, you fear being judged about this.  Why?  Is it because many people don’t understand or believe in the severity and debilitating effects of mental illness?  When you have strep throat or perhaps a broken arm, it is quite easy to recognize and tell how much suffering one is experiencing.  However, with mental illness, the physical signs are typically not as noticeable. 

Let’s get right to the elephant in the room.  So, what is mental illness?  According to The American Psychiatric Association (APA), mental illness are conditions involving changes in thinking or behaviors, emotions, or a combination of these and are associated with challenges with managing distress.   There are many myths and misconceptions about mental illness.  Some of these include:  mental illness only happens to “other people”, mental illness cannot be treated, people who have been diagnosed with or showing signs of mental illness are dangerous, and that individual people cannot make a difference in breaking down stigma and discrimination about mental illness.  Have you or do you believe any of these myths and misconceptions?  Sadly, I think many of us have at least at some time in our lives.  However, on a positive note, it appears that with education and life experiences, people are learning more about mental health and not to fear people with mental illness but instead befriend them and learn more about who they are as an individual and not just some label or diagnosis. 

The following information has come from studies completed by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the US Department of Justice.  I share some statistics with you so that you may gain a better understanding of the prevalence of mental illness.   One out of every 5 adults experience symptoms of mental illness each year.   One out of six youth (ages 6-17 years old) experience symptoms of mental illness each year.  43.3% of the identified adults and 50.6% of the identified youth received treatment in 2018.  I highly doubt that you don’t know someone who struggles with mental illness, whether or not you know that you do. Would learning that someone you are close friends with has a mental illness change your relationship or how you view them?  I certainly hope not!  

So, what is stigma?  We have all heard and probably used the term, but what is it and how does it affect someone?  Stigma is when someone or many people view others in a negative way because of having noticeable differences of characteristics or personality traits such as blinking eyes non stop or needing to count things over and over to feel calm.  Unfortunately, stigma also often leads to discrimination such as not becoming friends with someone due to fear of “catching” the mental illness or being judged by being associated with someone with mental illness.  Stigma can be and usually is very harmful to the person being viewed in a negative way.  For example, many who have mental illness will not seek help for they fear being misjudged.  This is highly prevalent among first responders for they are expected to be “the strong ones”, “fixers”, and “healthy ones”.  The reality is, seeking help is a sign of strength!    One cannot help others if they themselves are not willing to accept help, or aren’t willing to take care of themselves!  People also face not being understood by others which in turn often leads to being bullied such as being called “weak” when expressing emotions or the need for help. 

Here are some 6 tips to help with overcoming and dealing with stigma associated with mental health: 

1.      Enroll in and participate in therapy.  Therapy is helpful for everyone!  Therapists see therapists!  I know that therapy can be a bit costly; however, there are options to help pay for it such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).  Read more about EAPs in this blog here.

2.     Avoid allowing the negativity about mental illness create or maintain self doubt or shame.  You are not a bad person and you are not broken.  You are struggling and have areas in your life that you want to improve on.  Focus on your strengths and work on making the changes in your life that YOU want!

3.     Avoid isolating!  Spend time with others who care and understand.  There are many support groups available both in person and online such as Codependency Anonymous, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Grief Support Group (read this blog on grieving), and Double Trouble Meetings (read this blog on addictions). These are just a few examples of the many in our local community.

4.     Don’t let your mental illness and diagnosis define you!  I know…easier said than done.  So, instead of saying “I am Bipolar” try this:  “I am Tom and I am working on managing symptoms of Bipolar”.  YOU are YOU first and foremost!

5.     Avoid comparing yourself to others!  You are you and that is awesome!  There is no need to say “I am so much worse than that person” or “I am not as bad as that person”.  Your experiences are yours alone and everyone experiences things differently and uniquely.  You can relate, but don’t compare!

6.     Advocate, advocate, advocate!   Reach out and educate others about mental health and help spread the facts and debunk the myths!  There are many great programs out there and still forming to help break down the stigma of mental illness.  The Chief 139 Campaign has been formed recently by a son and daughter in law of a first responder who struggled with mental illness, yet did not get help which resulted in suicide. They have taken this tragic event and are working very hard to break down the stigma associated with mental illness and getting therapy for mental illness, especially among first responders. 

These are just a few of the many steps that you can take to help breakdown and overcome the stigma of mental health and getting therapy.  Everyone can make a difference!  If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of harming oneself, or are sad, nervous, or just desiring a safe place to talk, contact us!  We are here for you and we care!

The mental health therapists at our office offer counseling for a variety of issues including trauma using EMDR, depression, anxiety, grief, and couples counseling. We work with teens, adults, and couples. We also offer online counseling services which can be great for people with busy schedules or for people who live in parts of Pennsylvania with limited counseling options. You can check out our website to see the full list of counseling services that we offer. Or, Request An Appointment here.