Battling Stigma
What is Stigma?
Stigma is defined as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person”. When referring to mental health and mental wellness, this can be seen as:
Lack of care/understanding for someone’s mental wellness/mental state
Hesitation to get necessary treatment
Being looked down upon for ones’ mental wellness
Forms of bullying, harassment, and violence
Importance of Dismantling it
Stigma is very harmful, especially when referring to someone’s mental wellness.
If someone experiences a mental illness, the stigma will not permit you to develop your current condition and only making it more detrimental.
If an individual passes the stigma around, that will hinder others from acquiring the aid that they might need
Mental health is as important as physical health. It could have the same life long effects, and ignorance suspends oneself from getting the help that they so desperately need.
What Can You Do About It?
Reaching out to others and understanding your mental health will further your improvement substantially.
Enlist the guidance of a support group to educate yourself and others around you about mental health
Voice your opinion speaking out about the importance of mental wellness treatments will lessen the sigma within others
Check out what we have on battling stigma within older generations and in the Hispanic/Latinx communities to learn more about what you can do!
