Stigma associated with mental health

[SlowLifeLove]

AIBU to ask you what you do in your day-to-day lives, or what you do on a regular basis to reduce the stigma associated with mental health if you do anything at all?

We've just had a big workplace discussion with some colleagues feeling that there is nothing that can be done. I totally disagree with this and would like to see what others do, or have done.

[I am asking on the www as the conversation started to get a little heated]

I am completely open and honest about my own issues. I have anxiety and depression. I manage it now without pills but that doesn't mean I am magically cured.
When I was off work I was rather upset to find it had been explained as due to a physical issu I had also suffered with. (If I had requested the lie or was desperate for people not to know then that would be different.) I explained that was wrong and I had been suffering from a MH issue. The lie suggested management thought mental illness was a thing to be ashamed of.

I have depression and suffer from severe anxiety. I try to lift stigma and raise awareness by talking about it. When I mention I'm on antidepressants, it's amazing how many other people say they are too. I think people are often surprised about me because I have a decent job, a nice DP and DS, and a lovely home, plus I'm quite an extrovert at work. I think it's good for people to realise that even chatty, reasonably 'successful' people struggle with mental health issues.

It's not just limited to mental health, I think any difference often has a stigma attached.
I'm autistic, at times my anxiety gets out of hand and makes life difficult.
I've become very honest about it, I'm not going to hide away and pretend it doesn't happen. It doesn't go down well, I'm seen as accepting it and letting it win, when the way I see it is, it's a part of me, in order for me to live, I have to accept it and find strategies and support to get round it, but I don't see it going away any time soon.

The stigma comes from people who have no idea and prefer to see people as not making an effort, not trying hard enough, being weak, when in reality, if you've never had to deal with mental health problems, you probably have no idea how very debilitating it can be.

Yes, all difference carries a stigma but physical health problems don't carry the same shame as mental health problems, nor do people fear being judged to be weak or incapable in the way that they do with mental health problems.

Two key things that can be done at work is for organisations to proactively acknowledge that life, including working life, is stressful and challenging, and include discussions about well-being in every forum ie 1:1s, team meetings, board meetings, and promote sources of help and support eg employee assistance schemes as a normal part of looking after yourself/health and safety at work, rather than something you only contact if you're desperate.

I have schizophrenia and with that comes depression and anxiety,

I talk about it.
I live my life the way I want to, I wanted a job, I got one, I wanted a house, I bought one, I went self employed, I try and break those stereotypes that serious mental illness means you'll be in inpatient forever or you'll never be a member of the community.

I know people going through psychosis, anxiety and depression and I talk it through with them, their options, benefits, how it's a good idea to take medication prescribed and there's no shame in it.
So they feel better and know what to expect.

Admittedly I haven't announced it to my work place yet because I want to prove my worth before telling them and then forming their judgemental opinions.
(Bitter experience)

I used to post videos to raise awareness and explain was the illness was really like and that we aren't all murderers or the homeless person shouting at pigeons in the street.
But I took them down after a while because I didn't want future employers looking at them and having a reason to doubt my ability.

Maybe it was the wrong thing to do, but I wanted to leave the past in the past and move on a little because my first psychotic break was truly the worst time of my life.

Also I really believe that physical illness and disability DOES have a stigma,

Just ask anyone with chronic fatigue, autism, or fibromyalgia or EDS or someone who uses a wheelchair or a cane, or even MS

They are disbelieved by doctors, it takes years to get a diagnosis and then they're questioned by everybody how bad it REALLY is,
Do you really need all those pain killers?
Youll get dependant on drugs
Do you really need a wheelchair/cane/benefits/assistance dog?
Have you tired yoga/herbs/accupuncture ect
You don't look disabled!
But you walked in your house!

It's almost identical to the struggles of those with mental illness.

Our society does not accept or help disabled people In the correct way at all.

Same as others. I talk about it. I occasionally blog. I don't hide my scars and I am honest when people ask why I don't work, don't drive etc etc.

Shouldn't the title say "Stigma associated with mental illness"? I keep hearing mental health used when mental illness is meant. As in "she's got mental health" when what's meant is the opposite.

No, it should say mental health. It doesn't just include illnesses.

I find the problem is, a lot of people are desperate to fall over themselves to prove how okay they are with mental illness, but utterly unwilling to tolerate the effects of mental illness. In my industry there is a lot of talk and a lot of effort put into combating MH stigma but in reality it's "we accept your mental illness as long as you take your meds and don't show any symptoms." The minute you behave in a way that's even slightly atypical (even if your behaviour is objectively less OTT or 'odd' than that of some people without MH problems) you get judged massively.

I was indecently assaulted by a semi-powerful man in my industry last year and it sparked a major depressive episode mainly due to past abuse. And this episode mainly demonstrated to others as inappropriate tearfulness and being overly revealing to people I did not know intimately (not in detail just in "a guy groped me recently and it really did a number on me mentally). And I got absolutely destroyed for it, there are two people who will never work with me again and others who distances themselves because of my "boundary issues." But the 'mentally healthy' people who are going around getting coked up, crying about their relationship problems and groping women they barely know get off scot-free.

I'm a mental health nurse so this is something I feel strongly about. I talk to whoever will listen about mental health/illness. Causes, symptoms, treatments, medications, statistics etc. etc. I actually think that the stigma has reduced over the past few years and mental illness is more openly talked about, but that might be down to the type of people I mix with.

I own my mental health. I've not hidden it, I've told people about it. If it's a new person I've met and the subject comes up I feel confident in telling them. If I've had a rough time, I don't hesitate in thanking people personally or on (shock horror) facebook. I control my mental health as much as possible, but obviously it controls me at times.

I'm not afraid for people to know, I would rather they ask questions and I can to a point educate them about it. I know a lot of people don't feel this way, but this is me and how I deal with it.

I think we have a long way to go regarding stigma but I think every little helps. I have two friends who also have mental health conditions and we will openly mention it on fb I.e if someone says they've been for a review, ask how they got on etc, and the amount of honest questions and supportive comments that people reply with is overwhelming.

I like to think that even if just one of those people walk away thinking 'I've learnt something' then it's worth it.

I'm completely open about my own bipolar disorder.

I post things on social media including blog posts.

I was almost featured on a documentary about bipolar with Stephen Fry but didn't quite make it in.

I chaired the Disabilities Employee Group at my last employer and hosted events about mental health, stress, etc and a company wide event about invisible disabilities (including mental health issues).

Meek makes an interesting point regarding other illnesses. I also ,amongst other things, have fibromyalgia and hyper mobility syndrome. I can be fine the one day and the next walk only a short distance using crutches, and be in agony. I find I get more 'are you really in that much pain?' 'But you were fine yesterday/last week/last month' etc people forget that thu don't see me for a few weeks because I'm so unwell they only see me when I'm well.
This I find harder to deal with than my mental health. I feel more people judge me on it and that I have to excuse my conditions. Yet they are way more accepting of bipolar. All conditions that are 'hidden' yet different responses.
I do feel though that when I can go back to work (currently off waiting for surgery) and are therefore job hunting that employers will look at my medical history and reject me before I've been given a chance. Yet these conditions have always been part of me, I was a successful senior manager and have glowing reviews of previous employers.

Meek, that's what I meant about there being a stigma.
You only have to find a thread about wheelchair spaces on buses, disabled parking spots, disabled loos to see that with many people, there is a stigma and lack of respect for what disabled people go through.

Tabasco, that's the same with autism - people like to be seen to be accepting, right up until the point where it requires a tiny bit of adjustment from them, then it's "nope, not doing that,my live got to live in the real world...."

*you've got to live in the real world

When asked how I am, I am honest. If I am struggling with anxiety, I say. I am not ashamed. Also when people ask why my dp is in hospital I tell them he is mentally unwell.

I have been very surprised at how people respond. Usually they will be sympathetic and sometimes open up about their own or their loved one's struggles with mental health.

I have suffered with Depression, anxiety and probably ADHD. To a point I have a 'successful' life but my experience with workplace and mental health follows a pattern broadly thus:

• In UK, came close to breakdown working for international consultancy, declared everything, asked for reasonable accommodations, was interviewed by third party occupational health Dr. who told me 'off the record' at the end of the interview to "protect myself" as this was usually a route into thinly veiled constructive dismissal, and, fuck me sideways, he was damn right as my card was marked and I was fired over an error that was strictly correct by the book but to anyone else looked like a result of my general distress and breakdown.

I managed with the use of a solicitors letter and the threat of a Constructive Dismissal suit to at least give me a reference. I heard afterwards from former colleagues that they started to spread rumours that I had somehow been embezzling/ fiddling expenses - which was impossible, but, shit sticks.

• Have been working abroad for the better part of a decade and MH has been steadily improving as I become more wise to it with the odd blip - I generally have not disclosed anything officially. The attitude to MH in Asia is pretty disgusting despite what you might think about benign Buddhism and my current Company just simply don't have the insight to see why stigmatising it might be wrong. I was very low at the end of last year and my work was suffering because of it so I decided to disclose to a trusted (local) Manager by way of explanation.

Despite 5 years of solid, highly effective & responsible service I was looked at as a freak and there was a refusal to discuss it further other than a demand to know when KPI's would be met - this sent me down further. I am almost (touch wood) out of it now but I can't see my contract being renewed off the back of it, the stigma is so ingrained.

I think sometimes strangers can be more accepting than those who have known you before they found out about your mental health issues. One of my friends came out with the usual 'you don't seem very autistic' line and I thought 'you have no idea what goes on in my head' even though he's known me for years and knows how little I go out, how introverted I am, how difficult I must find certain situations given that I actively avoid them. He thinks that autistic = rain man. It's so disheartening.
But I think anxiety is becoming more acceptable. Or to talk about in non-work situations anyway.

All disabilities carry stigma in our society, that is true, but there is something specifically shameful about mental health problems which I think is important to acknowledge.

Doctors often ask people signed off work with stress or a mental health problem if they'd prefer 'viral illness' or 'bad back' on their sick note than a mental health diagnosis (although less so since the Equality Act). I don't get the impression that people with viral illnesses or back injuries would prefer 'depression and anxiety' or 'schizophrenia' written on their sick note. People who have been off with a single episode of 'viral illness' generally don't need to fear for their job and professional credibility as MooresHinge describes above.

I hide it as best as I can and don't mention it to anybody in real life. I try to put across a vibrant and 'normal' person who is all healed and healthy and functioning. This is because nobody in my life inc friends, former employer and colleagues and some family ever believed I was ever ill. My physical disability is a money making scam (I don't have any benefits ot anything ) and my anxiety disorder and PTSD as a result of chronic abuse and rape are a figment of my crazy imagination. You can please anyone.

Or can't

I have severe depression, personality disorders and an eating disorder. I can't manage to hold down a job or even look after my house or child properly. I can't really put a brave face on it as it's too overwhelming and it interferes with basic functioning. I hide my illness as I feel ashamed. I don't really relate to most MH awareness campaigns, which often try to focus on the abilities of those with more functional MH problems and they don't seem to want to be associated with the chaotic lives of people with severe MH problems.

I have found that people are sympathetic when they think that all you need is a shoulder to cry on (although I'd never want to cry in front of anyone) and a hand hold. But they are much less so when the condition is more severe and involves the things like unemployment, claiming benefits, social services, chaotic lifestyles and a dirty home.

Excellent post Toastie

I work for a company who has rolled out a positive mental health initiative in the UK initially, which has just been sent out across the company worldwide. We have volunteers who are trained to be a first point of call for anyone who needs help in understanding what can be done to help, how the company can help, and how to take the first step. The volunteers are people with and without mental health issues. I'm currently waiting for the next training session to join the volunteers. We have a free helpline for those who need to talk.
It's all part of a greater drive towards safety. We think about physical safety every day, but we should be thinking about mental safety too.