The Stigma of Mental Illness | Social Stigma

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Being aware of what mental health is, and particularly what mental illness isn’t, can be an important part of the challenge of overcoming the stigma often associated with it. The stigma of mental illness can become a roadblock to seeking help and getting treatment, because of the social stigma felt by those who suffer from the disease.

What is Mental Health Stigma?

The social stigma around mental illness often results from stereotypes. Friends, co-workers, even family members, and members of the community can convey a sense of shame on an individual living with mental illness, when they don’t truly understand the disease. Stigma can prevent people from getting help, as they may be judged for seeking treatment for their depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or other emotional distress.

Almost 90% of individuals living with a mental illness feel the stigma and discrimination that negatively impact their lives, according to the Mental Health Foundation. People who experience a mental health issue are the least likely individuals with a long-term health condition to live in good housing, find meaningful work, have long-term relationships, and be included in mainstream society.

Mental Health Awareness

Education and awareness are critical in overcoming the stigma associated with mental illness. The month of May has been established as Mental Health Awareness Month, a movement that started in 1949. The focus is on raising awareness of the various aspects of mental health and on reassuring everyone with a mental illness that “you are not alone.”

The focus is also on raising awareness and providing education in an effort to dismantle the misconceptions about mental health issues. The stigma of mental illness can be detrimental for an individual who is suffering from the disease, as it can add to their anxiety about how others see them and about how they see themselves.  

Knowing the facts and dispelling the myths can help everyone understand more about the causes, effects, and treatment. The main message for Mental Health Awareness Month is that individuals who are challenged with a mental health issue are not alone, that there is support and help available.

Myths and Facts

Many of the stereotypes around mental illness come out of myths that are commonly circulated. Taking the time to learn more about mental health concerns and, most importantly, the individuals who are challenged with mental illness, can help reduce or eliminate the social stigma they experience.

Myth: Mental health issues don’t affect me directly.

Fact: Mental health concerns are common in the US:

• One in 5 adults in the US experience a mental health issue.
• One in 25 people live with a serious mental illness, including major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
• One in 10 young people experience periods of major depression.
• Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the US, accounting for more than 41,000 lives lost each year.

Myth: Someone with a mental illness will be unpredictable and violent.

Fact: Most people with mental health issues are not violent. Only about 3-5% of violent acts are attributed to individuals who have a serious mental illness. Those with mental illness are actually 10 times more likely to be the victims of a violent crime.

Myth: People who have mental illness, even if they can manage their condition, cannot hold down a meaningful job.

Fact: Most people with mental health issues are active and productive members of their communities. This includes having good attendance, good work habits, and being motivated on the job. When an employee does have a mental health challenge and they receive appropriate treatment, the result can be:

• Increased productivity
• Decreased disability costs
• Lower medical costs
• Lower absenteeism

Myth: Mental illness is caused by personality weakness or character flaws. If an individual with a mental health issue would just snap out of it, they would be fine.

Fact: A person’s mental health problems have nothing to do with being weak or lazy. There are many factors that can contribute to mental illness, including:

• Trauma or a history of abuse
• Physical illness or injury
• Brain chemistry
• Genetics or a family history of mental health issues.

The fact is that individuals with mental illness can get better with appropriate treatment. It is time to break the social stigma and move forward with understanding and help.

California Faith-Based Addiction Treatment

Celebrate Hope is here for you when you need help with mental health issues, particularly when they co-occur with addiction. Please contact Celebrate Hope to learn more about our faith-based dual diagnosis treatment program. Our team helps men and women address the vicious cycle of mental illness and addiction so they can begin life anew. We rely on the teachings of Jesus Christ, along with evidence-based therapies to get individuals on the path of recovery.

Patrick Kennedy Reflects on Cousin's Overdose

The Kennedy family has a long history of falling victim to tragedy, from assassinations to substance abuse and mental health issues. Many Americans are familiar with Ted Kennedy’s alcohol use earlier in his career, which led to a car wreck that took the life of a young woman. His son Patrick, a vocal advocate for recovery and mental health parity, also struggled with substance use for many years.

Recently deceased author Christopher Kennedy Lawford was also in recovery for mental health-related issues. Last week, tragedy struck the family once again when Robert Kennedy’s granddaughter died from a suspected overdose, People reports. Saoirse Kennedy Hill, Patrick Kennedy’s cousin, died at the age of 22.

If the reports are accurate, Saoirse is now among the staggering number of Americans who lose their lives to an overdose. Three years before the young lady’s untimely death, she wrote an essay for her high school newspaper about her battles with depression and suicidal ideation.

"My depression took root in the beginning of my middle school years and will be with me for the rest of my life," Saoirse wrote. "Although I was mostly a happy child, I suffered bouts of deep sadness that felt like a heavy boulder on my chest."

At a time like this, who better to speak on the subject than former Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy. 

 

Bringing Depression and Addiction Out of the Shadows

Patrick Kennedy has been fighting to end the stigma of addiction and mental health disorders for years. He has a track record for working on expanding access to treatment and recovery services. His effort to ensure that insurance companies cover mental health services, in the same way they would other diseases, has been instrumental in protecting the rights of millions of Americans.

Following his cousin’s death, Patrick shared some kind words about her with People. He said that "She opened the door for her peers to also come out and not feel shamed by this illness and she is a real hero in my family."

"She broke the silence. And we mourn her loss but her memory will live on as someone who wasn’t going to keep silent and wasn’t going to be feeling as if she had something shameful, but rather something medical that she sought treatment for."

Saoirse’s story is not unique; millions of Americans continue to struggle in the shadows with mental illness and substance use disorder. Patrick Kennedy used the opportunity to call for a more significant response in dealing with the epidemic we face.

"This affects every single family in America," said Kennedy. "It’s way past time that we deal with this in a way that we would deal with any other public health crisis."

Seeking Help for Addiction and Mental Illness

At Celebrate Hope, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Kennedy family. We understand the deadly nature of mental disease and hope that Hill’s memory will inspire other young people to seek assistance.

Please contact us at your earliest convenience if you are struggling with alcohol or substance use disorder. We offer several programs that can help you learn how to lead a life in recovery.

Addiction Recovery Gives People Voices

People in addiction recovery have a voice; for some people working a program, this is the first time in their life they have felt able to speak their truth. Men and women who battle addiction learn that they must hide and disguise their behaviors. The societal stigma of addiction creates a culture of silence. Being unable to open up about one’s issues perpetuates the cycle of disease.

Addicts and alcoholics are prone to feel as though they are broken souls. They convince themselves that they are responsible for their affliction. The guilt and shame that accompany mental illness prevent millions of people from reaching out for help. Sometimes, decades will pass before a person summons the courage to reach out for support.

While nobody is to blame for the development of chemical dependency, each person has some say in the choices they make from one day to the next. Naturally, becoming hooked on a substance often means risking physical withdrawal symptoms, if one decides not to use. Such symptoms can quickly precipitate a relapse before recovery can take hold — people who choose to embrace recovery benefit immensely from seeking professional assistance.

Once in treatment, men and women discover that they no longer need to let shame drive their actions. Such people realize that they have a voice and using it can help them and others manage their disease without resorting to drug and alcohol use. Each day, people around the world come together in meeting rooms to share their experience, strength, and hope. Individuals in recovery share openly and honestly about their past and current struggles.

Some will even take the message of healing outside the realm of anonymity and inspire others who are caught in the cycle of addiction.

 

The Voice of Recovery

Desiree-Anne Martin is an author who is clean and sober now for 14 years. Before heroin sunk its teeth in Martin, she was an aspiring writer; however, she would never dare write about her demons, let alone an addiction. Today, Desiree-Anne has a different perspective on the subject, having published an autobiography recently, EastCoastRadio reports. We Don’t Talk About It. Ever. makes clear that no one facing addiction or in recovery is alone regarding their fears about being open.

“I hope that the book has become more than just an outlet for me, but a beacon of hope for others,” she explains. Martin adds that “In so many communities, there’s this rule of sweeping things under the carpet and not talking about what’s going on.” 

“Speaking your truth takes courage but it brings an unbelievable sense of freedom,” she says. “Being honest with ourselves and others could be the secret to saving lives.”

 

California Faith-based Addiction Treatment

People who struggle with addiction or dual diagnosis have an opportunity to find recovery when they reach out for help. Asking for assistance is never simple, but understand the courage to do so is a life-saving decision. Please contact Celebrate Hope to learn more about our faith-based addiction treatment program.  

We don’t just treat the symptoms of chemical dependency; we focus on transforming the mind, body, and spirit.

Returning to Recovery After Relapse

Each year around this time many addicts and alcoholics in recovery face an unfortunate reality. Stemming from stress, emotional upheaval, or any one of myriad reasons some men and women experience a relapse. While such events are undesirable, they do not spell the end of a person’s recovery.

People living with the disease of addiction are contending with an incurable mental illness. With that in mind, it is important to remember that active addiction recurrence is always a possibility; this is especially true if a person lets up on their program of recovery. What’s more, people who slip and relapse are prone to hiding a relapse from their peers owing to the shame and stigma that accompanies the disease. There is perhaps no other malady that humans suffer from that victims feel guilty about when relapse happens.

Everyone desires continued progress in recovery, but things happen, poor decisions are made that result in return to using drugs or alcohol. The problem of relapse is compounded by the fact that people feel they must hide such events from their support network. Some people will continue going to meetings and appear to be doing the work, only to go home and use once more. In that way, a slip can quickly morph into a full-blown relapse and thus, active addiction.

Given the deadly nature of the disease, it is vital that people who relapse come forward and share the news of their relapse. The sooner an admission takes place, the faster the process of healing can begin.

 

Don’t Let Guilt and Shame Stand In The Way of Recovery

The only person who gets hurt by omitting the occurrence of relapse is the person who relapsed. Some people think that they are fooling their peers, but they are only fooling themselves about the stakes of their disease. The longer a return to recovery is put off, the worse life becomes and the risk to one’s health is more significant.

If you relapsed, Celebrate Hope understands. We also are hopeful that you have already discussed what happened with your support network and the ball of recovery is rolling anew. If that is not the case, we strongly implore you to disregard the guilt and shame you might be feeling and act in your best interest. The members of your support group will understand, many of whom are probably no stranger to relapse.

A relapse can either be a tragedy or salient moment in recovery; it can be an opportunity to come back from an upset and invest oneself with more dedication to sobriety than ever before. Right now, there exist people with decades of clean and sober time who have a relapse in their recovery history. We would ask that you consider that before deciding to continue on the path you are on; because such individuals are proof that relapse does not have to be the end of the story but rather the beginning of something better.

Greater Assistance After A Relapse

Following a relapse, some individuals find that they need more than meetings to get back on track. They decide that to get back on track more structure is required. It is not uncommon for men and women to return to addiction treatment following a relapse, especially when such incidents result in a return to active daily drug or alcohol use. If you feel that you require professional assistance, then we invite you to reach out to Celebrate Hope to discuss treatment options.  

All of us at Celebrate Hope wish each person in recovery a safe and sober New Year! We hope everyone has a productive 2019 in recovery.

Cure Stigma: Suffering Because of Silence

Wednesday was World Mental Health Day; this is Mental Illness Awareness Week 2018. Please join the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and everyone working in the field of addiction medicine and dual diagnosis treatment in putting an end to the virus keeping people from seeking help. The target virus? Stigma!

NAMI’s Cure Stigma campaign or #CureStigma aims to identify individuals who are infected by stigma and educate them as to the facts of mental illness with the hope that such people will exercise more compassion, empathy, and understanding. Mental health disorders are far too prevalent to be treated as anything but the severe health conditions that they are; such issues are not moral failings or the fault of anyone. However, unlike other serious medical problems, much of society looks at mental illness through a distorted lens.

Most Americans are unaware that 1 in 5 Americans lives with mental illness and that nearly 60 percent of those individuals have never sought treatment. Far too many people consider alcohol and substance use disorders as being the result of bad decisions rather than mental health disorders; it also isn’t a coincidence that among the 20.2 million adults in the U.S. who experience a substance use disorder, more than half have a co-occurring mental illness. What’s more, both figures are probably low estimates; the exact prevalence is believed to be much higher because of under-reporting. Stigma keeps people in the dark, they fear that opening up about their illnesses will lead to ridicule and social ostracization.

 

Encouraging Treatment

At Celebrate Hope, many of our articles deal with stigma and the value of combating stigma. We follow studies in the field of mental health with great interest and make a concentrated effort to disseminate the facts to our readers. When people are informed, they are more likely to disregard preconceived notions and do what they can to effect change in their community. Since mental illness affects every town and city across the country, we can all benefit from encouraging men and women into treatment. A mission that many agree revolves around ending stigma.

When people in society have open and honest discussions about mental illness, everyone benefits. When more individuals voice support for those in the grips of illness, more of the afflicted seek help. Anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder – for instance – are psychological conditions accepted by science and included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5); the same can be said for alcohol and substance use disorder and dependence.

Mental illness is real, and people are suffering, and they will continue to do so as long others play host to stigma. Adults in the U.S. living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than others despite the existence of effective treatments, according to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Council.

Please take a moment to watch a video about stigma:

If you are having trouble watching, please click here.

You are also invited to take the Cure Stigma quiz. Please click here.

 

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnoses, or co-occurring disorders, are common in patients dealing with addiction. When people have a dual diagnosis, it is paramount that both the use disorder and other forms of mental illness are treated at the same time. Please contact us to learn more about how we can help you or a loved begin the courageous journey of addiction recovery.

Mental Health Treatment Around The World

In the United States there are resources available to help people dealing with mental health disorders, such as depression. Yet, only 44.7 percent of adults with any mental illness received any mental health services in 2013, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). If you are familiar with the field of mental health you may not be surprised by SAMHSA’s findings. Because you know that reaching out for help is extremely hard for people living with mental illness.

We live in a society that still struggles to understand that mental health disorders are serious impairments. These conditions require treatment and continued therapy over the course of one’s life. People living with mental illness often fear that asking for help will result in them being stigmatized by the peers. Thus preventing people for taking the first step to recover.

To be sure, we have come along way with regard to stigma, but it is a fight that is extremely hard to win. Consider the general public’s lack of understanding about conditions like depression or addiction. Despite the fact that there is ample evidence showing that treatments are effective, they are widely underutilized. Those living with any type of untreated mental illness are at great risk of developing problems with mind-altering substances. That is because people with untreated mental health problems often self-medicate, leading to the development of co-occurring mental health disorders. In turn, requiring an extra level of treatment.

 

Talk Therapy for Mental Illness

The SAMHSA report indicated 43.8 million adults (age 18 or older) experienced a diagnosable mental illness in 2013. Given that 9.3 million Americans reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, the need for encouraging more people to seek help is great.

Mental illness is a worldwide problem, with depression affecting more than 300 million people around the globe, according to the the World Health Organization (WHO). Because treatment rates are so low in this country, perhaps American health experts should look for examples in other countries.

A campaign was launched in 2008 to help people living with mental illness in England, called Healthy Minds. It has the expressed goal of creating a system of primary care for mental health across the UK, The New York Times reports. Healthy Minds offers free open-ended talk therapy at clinics throughout the country. Since the program’s inception, adults in England receiving mental health treatment increased from 1 in 4 to 1 in 3. What’s more, people all over the country have access to talk therapy and not just in cities. Brits are getting help, according to the article, in:

• Desolate Farming Villages
• Industrial Suburbs
• Remote Immigrant Communities

The program has had a serious impact on the stigma surrounding mental illness, as well. This gives more people the strength to seek the help they desperately need.

“You now actually hear young people say, ‘I might go and get some therapy for this,’” said Dr. Tim Kendall, the clinical director for mental health for the National Health Service. “You’d never, ever hear people in this country say that out in public before.”

 

Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

If you are living with any type of mental illness, the problem is always made worse by using drugs and alcohol. At Celebrate Drug Rehab, we specialize in treating clients with a dual diagnosis. Please reach out to us to begin the process of recovery.

Stigma: Talking About Depression and Anxiety

It is fairly well understood that the best weapon against stigma, and to promote compassion, is to talk about mental illness. No easy task, to be sure. For time immemorial, people have been made to feel that talking about their psychological symptoms of addiction, depression and anxiety would be a road to social exile. Brain diseases are not as well understood as other health conditions, for many reasons. And due to the reality, most people will fill in the blanks with stereotypes and pejorative remarks that do little good for both society and especially the afflicted.

To be fair, we have come a long way in the mission to talk about mental illness and encourage people to seek help without fear of reprisal. Yet, the fact remains that the clear majority of people living with any form of mental illness never receive any form of treatment. Without such care, the consequences are typically grave. Commonly people with mental health disorders abuse drugs and alcohol to cope with the debilitating symptoms they face. Addiction is usually the result of self-medication. Worse, left feeling like there are no more options, people suffering from depression and anxiety often try to take their own life. Many succeed.

 

Shining a Light On Mental Illness

In popular culture, several movies and televisions shows now cover the topic of mental health. And not just because mental illness is fascinating, but due to the fact by doing so—lives can be saved. It is a trend that tells people who may be afraid to seek help that they are not alone. That treatment can improve the quality of one’s life dramatically. It is worth noting that around the world some 300 million people suffer from depression, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. Many of those people live in countries that are not as fortunate as Americans are when it comes to mental health care.

The World Health Organization has deemed depression to be the leading cause of poor health on the planet.

 

Katie & Shaun Talk About Depression and Anxiety

On May 26, 2017, a new web series will debut on YouTube which focuses on depression and anxiety. Katie & Shaun is the name of the show, which was created by husband-and-wife Matt Thomas (Writer) and Susan Allen (Director), according to Broadway World. The six-minute episodes are based on the creator's own experiences. Susan Allen says:

"We both have personal experience with mental health, and we've supported family and friends over the years, so it's a story close to our hearts. First and foremost, we hope people will find the show entertaining. And if someone feels less alone, or more like they can handle their own problems because of it, that would be amazing. By illuminating the characters' struggles with anxiety and depression - which are often confusing or debilitating, sometimes downright frustrating, and yet just one part of who they are - we hope to foster a deeper and broader understanding of mental health, and its role in the human experience." 

Please take a moment to watch the trailer below:


If you are having trouble watching, please click here.