Since time immemorial, men and women have struggled with mental health issues due to a lack of knowledge, research, and advocacy. With the advancement in scientific research and studies on mental health disorders and their effects, suitable treatment has been curated. But an obstacle that we have not overcome till now is the mental health stigmas.
At SimranShri Rehabilitation Center, we understand the need of learning about mental health conditions and the importance of mental disorder treatment. Mental illness is serious and adversely affects the lives of individuals struggling with it. Here is our attempt to break the stigmas around mental illness.
Discrimination of an individual due to their characteristics is known as stigma or negative stereotype. These are negative assumptions about one's characteristics such as ethnicity, race, physical features, etc. Recognizing the common mental health stereotypes is the first step toward breaking the mental health stigma. These include:
● Fear: the widely spread belief that individuals struggling with mental health disorders are dangerous and scary.
● Irresponsibility: individuals suffering from mental health disorders cannot look after themselves or behave responsibly.
● Naivety: the belief that individuals with mental health disorders are immature or childlike.
The mental health stereotypes are enforced in several ways. From television shows to health care providers, mental health disorders have often been ridiculed. These stigmas associated with mental illness negatively impact the individuals struggling with disorders. It can also make someone conscious of discussing their symptoms or seeking mental health disorder treatment. They may become a target of verbal or physical abuse, which worsens their condition. An individual recovering from a mental illness might get influenced by these stigmas associated with mental illness and lose hope that they will succeed. Stigma can cage individuals from receiving and accepting the support and care they deserve to fight mental health disorders.
There are many ways to break mental health stigmas-
Individuals often forget that mental illness develops due to various reasons and not due to choice. Notwithstanding the cause, no individual should be put across as stereotyping. To fight mental health stigma, one should deeply learn about mental disorders and their physical, mental, and emotional effects on the sufferer. Once you are aware of the problem, you can help others learn too.
The lack of discussion about mental health issues has resulted in many individuals being devoid of the support and care they need for overcoming their disorders. Many individuals had to face tragic events because of not receiving help timely. Spreading awareness and advocating mental health discussions can help avoid this problem.
For individuals struggling with mental health conditions, we offer the physical and mental fitness to address issues and improve the individual's overall well-being.
The first to break stereotypes or mental health stigmas begins with self. Refrain from contributing to these by being mindful when you speak about mental health. One can disrupt the progress or discourage someone from seeking treatment by feeding into stereotypes and stigmas.
Encourage individuals to be their support system, and ensure that they do not feel alone struggling with mental health disorders.
At SimranShri Rehabilitation Center, we provide individualized treatment plans to help treatment seekers recover. Our staff of highly experienced mental health professionals is dedicated to the health and safety of our residents.
Tags: mental health stereotypes, mental health stigmas, stigma associated with mental illness, Stigmas Around Mental Illness
