stigma
People with mental illness represent one of the most deeply stigmatized groups in our culture. Learn more about it here.
The Black Stigma
I was born to two wonderful, loving parents. I am truly grateful for that. I used to make it a point to break every stereotype that was thrown at me. For example, I would style my hair a different way, listen to a different kind of music, make friends that were mostly white, and push myself to talk a certain kind of way. I would get told when I talked to adults, "You're so proper," and "You're not like those others kids." They never truly said it, but I always knew what they meant.
By Tianna Brianne8 years ago in Psyche
5 Myths About Mental Illnesses
Mental illnesses come in all shapes and sizes. Since there are so many mental disorders, there is also tons of misinformation that gets circulated throughout our society. Have you ever heard anyone say, “I’m so O.C.D!”? Well, this my friends, is incorrect. Not only is obsessive compulsive disorder (O.C.D) not an adjective, it’s also not synonymous with “being neat.” There are plenty of other misconceptions about other mental illnesses floating around our societal consciousness and I am here to dispel a few.
By Sarah Fennell8 years ago in Psyche
'Don't Call Me Crazy'
Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, be it depression, anxiety, or otherwise. It's a statistic we have all heard of, and if you think about it, that figure is astounding! The stigma around mental health has been thrust into the limelight in the UK over recent years, and it's being recognised as being just as important as physical health and I couldn't be happier. I have battled depression on and off for most of my life and I finally feel in a place where I can openly discuss my struggles. It's not something you want to admit to people and you almost feel ashamed of yourself for feeling the way you have when there is so much to be thankful for in life. I am writing this open letter so I can stand up for others and let them know that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Your feelings matter and you aren't "crazy."
By Laura McCarthy8 years ago in Psyche
I'm Not Crazy
Since I was thirteen, I've been continuously called crazy. The older I got, the more common it was to hear those words come from anyone who knew me, whether it was on a personal level or from someone who only met me a month ago. The question always ran through my head: "Why am I crazy?" What have I actually done that earned me that title? Did I go on a rampage where I completely blacked out from anger and killed seven people because the voices in my head told me to do so? Was I sitting in my room alone, talking to the person that wasn't there about anything and everything and have no recollection of it? No, I can say with complete certainty that neither of those things happened. So, the question still remains. Why am I crazy?
By Devin Hubert8 years ago in Psyche
I Am Not a Patient. Top Story - January 2018.
2013 was the year everything changed. It was dark time in my life a few years ago when everything familiar to me was changing—a period I can only describe as a complete breakdown of my mentality. So much had happened all at once. My heart was broken for the first time, I had just finished my GCSEs and left school with the obscure challenge of college looming. My Nan was ill and my mental health was rapidly declining—all of this at that frustrating age where you’re expected to act like an adult whilst still being treated like a child.
By Meg Burchell8 years ago in Psyche
Who Am I?
I am the person that people point and whisper about, the one that is frowned upon by some and ridiculed by many. I have severe depression. I am emotionally unstable and my anger knows no bounds. I wasn’t this person to begin with. When I was born I was undamaged. Perfectly formed things moved like a well-oiled machine. Now I feel old, tired, and desperate.
By Nadine Haigh8 years ago in Psyche
O.C.D. Is An Acronym
The acronym O.C.D. stands for obsessive compulsive disorder. It's characterized by unreasonable thoughts or fears and is usually accompanied with anxiety and feelings of guilt. Ritualistic behaviors, such as the meaningless repeating of words or actions, are symptoms of O.C.D. as well as, compulsive hoarding, hyper vigilance, social isolation, agitation and hyperactivity. It's a havoc wreaking and burdening disorder but is often written over as someone's desire for cleanliness or organization.
By Sarah Fennell8 years ago in Psyche
Break the Silence
What will other people think? Nearly everyone raised in the South Asian community will have heard their parents use this as a variable in their decision process. This constant focus on perception not only hinders progress but also perpetuates low emotional intelligence within the South Asian community.
By Lakshmipriya Arunachalam8 years ago in Psyche
"Worth" in Society
As a child, I quickly learned from the adults around me to look down on others who do not "fit in" to society; the homeless, the mentally ill, the addicted. Now currently being able to commit myself to two of those categories, and less than four months ago being able to commit to all three, I have realized that it is so damn easy to judge others from a place of comfortability.
By Elissa Jukes8 years ago in Psyche
Erasing the Stigma
Mental illness is a huge modern day problem that not enough people are taking seriously but instead stigmatize it when it shouldn't be at all. Mental illness is a very common problem now-a-days, yet remains an extremely taboo subject, even to those who struggle with it. Most people who are ill are ashamed of being open about their diagnosis(es) out of fear of being stigmatized by those who aren't educated enough about the subject, especially among the younger generation with the Internet and all this information being so accessible. Some contribute to making the stigma worse by going so far as to fake a mental illness because they think it's cool or trendy to have one, they use it as a tactic to "fit in" with those who they think would be accepting or pity them because of their alleged illness. Mental illness is a very big and serious problem that's been around for centuries and we have to work together to educate those who aren't and erase the stigma around it.
By Spencer Barcenas8 years ago in Psyche
