need to add title here

Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness

May 20, 2010 5:09 AM

Misconceptions about mental health can have devastating effects on individuals, families and communities. National Alliance of Mental Illness' Wendy Brennan talks with Dr. Jon LaPook about the importance of education and treatment.

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by jeremyrapp October 14, 2011 7:55 PM EDT
pepsi-cola
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by babooph June 13, 2010 6:09 PM EDT
Odd that mental illness is looked down on & religion is touted as positive...
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by edixope4842 May 29, 2010 6:08 AM EDT
Then there are the medical practitioners prescribing medication for which there are no clear guidelines.

Amphetamines anyone?
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by 21842 May 23, 2010 7:58 PM EDT
I am Mentally Ill & UNDER MEDICAL TREATMENT for my Mental Illness & no one knows this fact where I work. I'm told that I'm a very good employee by my Supervisor who is a very nice person whom says that he tries not to judge people, HOWEVER, he has made jokes about another employee saying that this other employee must be Mentally Ill. So many people NEED TO BE EDUCATED about the subject of Mental Illness!
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by wendymay514 May 23, 2010 7:24 AM EDT
It truly is sad that employers, family members, etc. don't understand that when we are well we are just like them. We do have down periods, up periods, psychosis, etc., from time to time and that is no different than having any other illness; Heart disease, cancer, and so forth. My mother is always berating me for "taking too many meds." The fact is, I am on both physical and psychiatric meds, and I am stable and well. This also applies to my physical illnesses, because they go hand in hand. The stigma of a mental illness follows you everywhere. From time to time, I see someone I know at my therapist's office or my psychiatrist's office, and I feel ashamed. This ought not to be so! It is NOT my fault I am ill (in remission)and there's nothing wrong for getting treatment for psychiatric issues. No one would say, "You have diabetes, you must be off your rocker." No, and it is the same as diabetes and all other illnesses; it just affects your brain instead.
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by karenarandolph May 22, 2010 10:02 AM EDT
It's not that we can't control what our minds do, it's that in order to learn the necessary skills, we have to have stigma-free environments in which to admit our illness, and then learn how to deal with our unpredictable mood swings.
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by JayAdler1 May 20, 2010 10:58 PM EDT
Is is a very sad state of affairs that the only way a person who has recovered from mental illness and hospitalizations can defeat the stigma that occurs in their community, workplace and unfortunately their own family is to become highly successful and educated. It is impossible for people with limited ability and skills to stigmatize someone who has made it over them. God help the sufferers who cannot outdo others.
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by TVO1CITW May 20, 2010 2:20 PM EDT
I understand now how this affects families. It is not a stigma with me any longer. They just cannot control what their mind does to them.
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