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Okay, a thread on Mental Health Problems.
Sort of.
Stigma.
The word originates from both Greek and Latin and basically means 'mark' 'brand' .
An identifying mark.
When you judge people (and make them feared) based on an identifying mark, that's stigmatization.
Sort of.
Stigma.
The word originates from both Greek and Latin and basically means 'mark' 'brand' .
An identifying mark.
When you judge people (and make them feared) based on an identifying mark, that's stigmatization.
People affected by mental illness are stigmatized in all areas of life, from romance to being passed over for promotion to just being allowed to exist in peace.
There are many reasons for this, some of them complex, none of them good.
Stigmatization's usual basis is in fear.
There are many reasons for this, some of them complex, none of them good.
Stigmatization's usual basis is in fear.
"To reduce stigma it is necessary to reduce fear, and this requires accurate information about mental illness and better understanding of mentally ill people" [Oxford Tx. Psychiatry].
Stigma isn't somewhere out there by "bad people". It's perpetuated by you and me.
Stigma isn't somewhere out there by "bad people". It's perpetuated by you and me.
It's not pogroms.
It's us, in many little ways.
It's death by a thousand cuts (and stigma literally kills. People with mental illness are more likely to die from literally all causes and younger than those without. Care seeking behaviour is affected by stigma).
It's us, in many little ways.
It's death by a thousand cuts (and stigma literally kills. People with mental illness are more likely to die from literally all causes and younger than those without. Care seeking behaviour is affected by stigma).
How can we do better?
Share *accurate information* about mental illness.
Writers, stop writing tropes that aren't based on reality. Dig deeper.
Go to places like https://www.rethink.org/ and Samaritans and NHS sites.
Share *accurate information* about mental illness.
Writers, stop writing tropes that aren't based on reality. Dig deeper.
Go to places like https://www.rethink.org/ and Samaritans and NHS sites.
Don't come at me.
I'm just saying we can and should do better.
I'm just saying we can and should do better.
