Stigmas on Mental Health

[Learning]

I'm in the process of getting a bachelor's in Psychology, and I have to say there seems to be quite a stigma on people who are diagnosed with mental health problems or even go in to see if they may have mental health problems.
It's concerning because people that need to get help may not get it, and people that are getting it may have a harder time being accepted by society.

How educated are you about mental health?
How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?
Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?
Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?
What is your perspective on mental health issues?

[Moriarty]

How educated are you about mental health?
Not very.

How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?
I was once diagnosed with "adjustment disorder with depressed mood". I made every effort to prevent my peers from finding out due to the stigma associated with "crazy people".

Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?
Not really. The issue of mental health appears to have become polarized in media stories and popular culture. People will likely be suspect or cautious of a person who is known to have been treated or under treatment.


Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?
Not in others, but mine did. Specifically, trying to cover my tracks to and from the doc's office became something of a chore and a new source of stress (I already had adjustment disorder...sheesh). :)


What is your perspective on mental health issues?
I know enough about it to realize most are treatable conditions like any other illness.

[PortInStorm]

Hey Learning! I should be marking right now, but I'm in the same boat (haha), and embarking on masters. More later, but yep, there is quite the stigma, but it's more ..uh, submerged now than it used to be. Many, including myself, accept it mentally, but still have a sense of fear and intimidation when faced with those with severe MI.

[thod]

> How educated are you about mental health?

Background reading originating from self analysis. I want to know if I am a 'loon' and what type. I want to understand others motivations.

> How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?

Dangerous, unpredictable, and best avoided (with the exception of female nymphomaniacs).

> Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?

TV shows. You could have a disorder amongst a group of healthy people. The contestants are required to 'spot the nutter' and identify his condition. They would be allowed to ask questions ie "what is God telling you to do" for schizo's, "which of these people hates you most" for paranoids etc.

> Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?

Yes.

> What is your perspective on mental health issues?

I want them to go away and be treated out of sight.

[Zilal]

How educated are you about mental health?
Fairly well-educated.

How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?
With compassion.

Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?
I dunno, but I like to read books from the perspective of those who have dealt with mental illness, and I'd love to see more written by intelligent and successful people about their own troubles. I'd think that'd help with the stigma.

Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?
Sometimes, but I try not to respond based on that reaction.

What is your perspective on mental health issues?
It's a cause close to my heart. I think treatment options will continue to broaden and improve, which is great, but I don't know what's going to happen with financial/life skills support for the poor and mentally ill. There's a deep vein of "anyone can make it if they work hard enough; if they're not making it, it's their fault" running through this country and I'm nervous about that becoming more prominent over time.

[yondyr]

What is your perspective on mental health issues?
Anger and regret - for blaming the parents (mainly mother) on causing two schizophrenic sons.

[AliciaS2R]

I'm in the process of getting a bachelor's in Psychology, and I have to say there seems to be quite a stigma on people who are diagnosed with mental health problems or even go in to see if they may have mental health problems.
It's concerning because people that need to get help may not get it, and people that are getting it may have a harder time being accepted by society.

How educated are you about mental health?Fairly well educated, I have worked at a facility that serves those with developmental disabilities for almost 19 years as direct care staff and as a supervisor. Many of those are dual diagnosed with psychological disabilities also.

How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?We are all people, those with disabilities are more like us than they are different. We all have the right to be treated with respect. I would think that if you gave them the choice, many if not all of those with "disabilities" would choose to live a life free from the burden it places on them and their families.

Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?Instead of placing the mentally ill and those with disabilities in big institutions bring them back into the community. I realize that not everyone is appropriate to place in the community, but many are. Instead of espousing the "not in my backyard" philosophy, check into the facts and you will see that many of the houses that have been opened are "good neighbors". I don't see what we can do about the media, as long as people buy the product (sensationalism) it will be produced.

Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?I am not frightened or uncomfortable, however I educate myself about the disorders and the people who are affected by them (at the facility where I work).

What is your perspective on mental health issues?I am exposed to individuals with mental health issues daily and have been for most of my life. I realize it is not just a psychological issue but also a physiological one. Mental health issues many times have an organic cause, it's not always just "in their heads".

A bit of reading about one of our more infamous State Schools

Wiki - Willowbrook (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)

And some photos of various urban ruins which include state hospitals, asylums, and state schools etc.

Opacity (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)

[kantsuu]

First, I agree wholeheartedly with what you said before the questions, and have been saying almost exactly the same thing to people for some time! I hate the way society deals with mental issues..

As for the questions:

How educated are you about mental health?
Significantly more than the average person, not as much as I would like.

How do you view those who are diagnosed/being treated for mental health issues?
Not all that differently from regular people... generally I'm happy that they're actually doing something to help the problems that they have. I don't think that there should be anything taboo about it.

Do you have any ideas/suggestions that may help awareness of psychological disorders?
It seems that people get a better view of disorders when they are portrayed accurately in the media, but that's dangerous as well, because most disorders show up in different people in different ways, and I think that a lot of people neglect to realize that while watching/reading/etc. Beyond that, I'm not totally sure right now, but it's definitely something that I want to work on.

Do disorders frighten you or make you very uncomfortable?
In the way I believe you mean it, not at all. However, I have been scared for friends' well being because of it.

What is your perspective on mental health issues?
I think that mental health issues have similar origins to other health issues, although most people don't look at them that way. Like any other health problem, the way a mental disorder plays out is a result of some combination of genetics / experience. I think the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders should become less taboo in our society.