False ideologies pertaining to mental illness propagates significant problems. With What Is Mental Health Awareness Month in May the onus is to mitigate stigmas associated with disorder. Stigma arises if you are perceived in a negative manner or basically a negative stereotype. Sadly such perceptions towards people suffering from mental disorders are common.
Stigma paves way for discrimination. This can be direct or obvious as someone making a direct remark about your mental condition. Sometimes it can be subtle as someone might avoid you because of mental instability. The profound impacts of stigma
- Reluctance to opt for any medical treatment
- Harassment, bullying or physical violence
- A belief that you cannot cope up with challenges and you cannot harp on the situation.
- Health insurance covering treatment of mental illness
How to cope up with stigma
Let us now explore some way by which you can cope with stigma
- Avail treatment – a feeling of reluctance creeps to seek treatment. No need to fear treatment if you are in the grip of mental illness. Treatment can deduct what is wrong and eradicating symptoms creating problems with professional and personal life
- No need to isolate- In suffering from mental illness a general tendency is to disassociate from others. The friends, family or support groups can provide you support to cope with the issue. It is better in reaching out to be people whom you trust and they have compassion towards you.
- Do not allow stigma to shame and develop self- Doubts- Stigma does not roll on from others. You mistake this disorder more of a personal weakness and you can deal this condition without any help. Educating yourself, establishing connection with others who have mental disorders helps you to become self -confident and deal with fears of self-judgement.
- Help from school- if your child suffers from mental illness creating havoc with learning procedures search for programs or plans that might help. Dissertating studies against mental illness is against law and educational institutions at any level are forced to accommodate students. Interaction with teachers or students will provide optimum solutions on the best they can. The teacher has to be aware about disability of a student as it can lead to discrimination followed by poor grades
- Do not consider mental illness as a type of illness- You are not in a state of illness. Rather than saying I am bipolar refer to the situation as bipolar disorder.
- Seeking relief from support groups – There are various local support groups and with benefits of the internet educates masses about mental illness. This reduces the stigma that people from such type of disorders have to face.
- Speaking out- There is no holding back and expresses your opinions against stigma at any events. The best place to express your views would be the internet. Not only it educates the masses about mental illness but forces others who are facing mental challenges to speak up.
The judgement of others replicates more of an impulse reaction rather than analysing facts. With mental illness month in May let us spread the awareness.