How to Overcome Mental Health Stigma?

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Marguerite Joseph, APRN, PMHNP-BC, MSN - Mental Alive

Although society has progressed considerably over the years, mental health stigma remains. However, a lot of the time, there is just a misunderstanding. The fact is that most people are simply afraid of showing any distinguishing trait. On top of this, negative stereotypes can only make it harder for them to open up to someone. Unfortunately, negative beliefs and attitudes are still common.

To make matters worse, stigma may even lead to discrimination. In fact, a subtle or unintentional negative remark about mental illness could be reason enough to make someone feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, it is also possible for an individual to avoid a person due to misconceptions about mental illness. Moreover, you might judge yourself as well, which has harmful effects. However, you should not lose hope because you can learn how to reduce mental health stigma with the help of the following tips.

1. Seek Treatment Getting treatment is one of the most important things you need to do to reduce mental health stigma. Your reluctance to seek treatment would only make matters worse. This is why you must let go of the fear of being labeled as mentally ill. Instead, you should be focusing on getting the help you need, and nothing else should be on your mind. When you seek treatment, it helps provide relief as you discover what is wrong and reduce symptoms that are preventing you from living your best life.The secret to reducing mental illness stigma is getting the help you need. If you do not see a mental health expert, it would be difficult for you to continue with your life. Besides, you cannot let anyone get to you. The only person you should be concerned about is yourself. That’s about it. Forget about what people think if you decide to seek treatment.

2. Don’t Allow Stigma to Create Shame and Self-DoubtWhen it comes to mental health issues, it is natural for one to have self-doubt and feel shame. However, you should not waste your time or energy on such thoughts. The thing about mental illness stigma is that it might not even come from someone else. You might find yourself believing that your condition is a personal weakness and that you should be able to have control over it instead of getting help. To boost self-esteem and get rid of self-judgment, you must seek counseling and educate yourself about the condition. It is also a good idea to connect with others who are dealing with mental illness. It could help you gain perspective and see things from a different angle. After all, believing in yourself is extremely important. It actually makes all the difference. When you stop having self-doubt and accept that you are strong enough to deal with your condition, you become the best version of yourself.

3. Avoid IsolationMental health stigma is anything but easy. It can take a toll on you. You might even find yourself reluctant and unable to speak to anyone about how you feel and what you are going through. But you must reach out to your family and friends to get the support you need. Anyone who is suffering from mental illness should not go about it alone. You need to reach out to your friends and let them know what you are experiencing. There are bound to be people out there who can support you and show some compassion. Now, you might think that it makes you weak to ask others to be there for you. But, you have to understand that everyone needs some form of support. It would still make a difference even if your friends just spend time with you or pick you up from the clinic. You have to avoid isolation if you want to see some improvement. Besides, being on your own would have its implications. As humans are social beings, you have to put yourself out there and let your friends know that you are having a difficult time or just need someone to be there for you. By sharing your experience with them, you will feel less alone, and make you see things differently. You must let others in no matter how difficult things seem. Don't make your life harder by going through the tough times on your own. Besides, your friends would appreciate you coming out to them and letting them know what is troubling you. After all, the difficult times help you identify true friends. So, you could find out who to spend time with.

4. You Are Not Your Illness

   
   

   

If there is one thing that you need to know if you want to overcome mental health stigma, it is the fact that you are not your illness. You should never equate yourself with your illness. Also, you should avoid equating yourself to your symptoms. Instead of saying to yourself or telling people that you are bipolar, you should simply say that you have bipolar disorder. Similarly, you should not consider yourself a schizophrenic but that you have schizophrenia. When you stop associating yourself with your illness, you will learn how to reduce mental health stigma. It all starts with you. Understand that you are more than what you are dealing with. Instead, you should be telling yourself that you are strong, amazing, and resilient. There is nothing that you cannot overcome. You have to believe in yourself. The image you have of yourself is what matters most. If you keep reducing yourself to an illness, it will affect you. Hence, you have to look outside the picture.

5. Stop Blaming YourselfOn top of self-doubt, you have to avoid blaming yourself for what you are going through. You simply need to accept that we all have our own battles and that it is not your fault that you are suffering from a mental illness. If you blame yourself, you would only perpetuate mental health stigma. Instead, you should be amazed by your ability to get out of bed and go on with your life. It takes courage to keep going and not let things get to you. Anyone who is dealing with a mental illness needs to be more accepting of themselves. It is important that you show compassion towards yourself and realize that you will get through this. You can achieve a lot, and you should not let anything bring you down. Hence, your main goal should be to be empathetic.

6. Join a Support Group

A great way to overcome mental health stigma is by joining a support group. There are plenty of support groups that are dedicated to stigma-free mental health discussions. By speaking with other people who are dealing with mental health issues, you will learn how to reduce mental health stigma. Some local groups like the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) provide programs that aim to reduce stigma. When you join a group, you will be educated about mental illness. The best part about these programs is that they are open to the general public and families. Moreover, even state agencies offer programs that focus on vocational rehabilitation. No matter what condition you might be dealing with, you should be able to get stigma-free mental health support. It would make your life a whole lot easier as you would learn how to bring about change in your life. Speaking to people who have been through what you are going through always helps. It will make you feel less alone, and you would benefit from excellent advice. All you have to do is join a group and attend one of their sessions. It will open up a world of opportunities for you. In fact, you could make friends with people who are dealing with a similar situation. It would make things a lot easier for you. By connecting with others and sharing your story, you will feel empowered. It will change your life for the better. You might not realize it now, but support groups work wonders. To get started, you should search online for support groups in your area. Even if you are unable to find a support group for a specific illness, you should still consider going, as it all comes down to meeting people who are fighting their own battles. Besides, you could always use some advice.

7. Get Help at SchoolAre you a student? Then, you need to consider seeking help at school. If you have a child struggling to learn due to a mental illness, you should find out what type of programs and plans the educational institution offers. The fact is that it is against the law to discriminate against students who have mental illnesses. This is why it is the responsibility of educators at all levels to accommodate students who have special needs. You need to speak with the school administrator or teacher to find out what approach would work best for you. If the teacher is unaware of the condition, discrimination can occur. Also, it can lead to poor grades and barriers to learning. Therefore, you should speak up about the type of experience you are having. Let the people in charge know that you need help. Besides, they might have already helped other students who are going through something similar and may know how to help you out. By letting educators know about your mental health issues, you get to enable them to create a truly inclusive environment. The more open you are about what you are going through, the easier it would be for them to help you out.

8. Speak Out Against Stigma Discrimination and intolerance should never be tolerated. You have to speak out against the stigma if you have a mental illness. It is important that you share your opinion at events and write letters to the school editor. On top of this, you should talk about the experience online. The internet can be an inclusive place. You can find the support you need online. Besides, you have to speak up if you want others who are facing similar challenges to be able to overcome them. When you speak out against stigma, you get to create awareness which is fundamental to breaking down barriers. Anyone who has mental health issues needs to speak about their experience. It would help instill courage in others so that they also come forward. Your bravery could actually have a rippling effect. Therefore, you need to continue speaking up even if you already do. The more people learn about mental illness, the easier it is for them to help others. If there is one thing you need to know, most people simply lack an understanding of what mental illness is like. You have to get them to understand the facts. Educating others makes all the difference. Besides, you could make other people’s lives easier. You have to look at things from outside the window. If you are afraid of speaking up, you can start by taking small steps. Even a single letter or a post on social media could help. There is no limit to what you can do. So, you have to keep going and break down those barriers.

Conclusion

Once you have gone over the post, you will learn how to overcome mental health stigma. You have to realize that you have the power to do anything. You can seek support and treat your mental health issues. Every small step that you take will allow you to lead a happier and healthier life. After all, you deserve to be happy and supported. The more you open yourself to the world, the easier things can get. When you let others be there for you, it would also allow you to establish stronger relationships.