Do You find writing about mental health produces stigma to you?

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   schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years ago

   Esp it you write from your own experience?
   
   For me it doesn't but one time a lady on here wanted to do a hub profile on me, and it was anohter acct and when I told her I had three, she declined. She said she would do one of like maybe two combined or whatever. But she made up a ridiculous excuse.

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      Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think, maybe (just guessing, of course), it wasn't the mental-health thing that was her concern.  Maybe she just had particular interest in the one account primarily, and maybe she wanted to focus on the one that had captured her interest.  For example, if you have two that focus on mental-health issues and a third that, maybe, focuses on recipes (again, for example), maybe it all just got to complicated for her to be able to approach the way she'd planned to.  (Or the reverse could have been the case:  If you have something like an account with all recipes in it, and then a couple with mental-health issues, maybe that's not what she thought the kind of thing she had in mind either.     )

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         schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         That's a good thought.
         thx
         

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2. 66

   Nikki Majorposted 11 years ago

   No. Talking about mental health does not produce a stigma. It is our actions that produce stigma. If you are "mental" you will do "mental" things. but don't worry, everybody is a little "mental". Mental Health issues are on the rise in this country. So, it is totally healthy to talk about and get an understanding on any issues one may have. This is what makes one wise actually.

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      schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree we all do things.
      I've seen many arguments on these forums!!
      thx

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3. 70

   gsidleyposted 11 years ago

   I don't think writing about mental health problems would increase stigma; on the contrary, by educating the general public (and challenging some myths) I suspect it would decrease it.
   
   I recently read about an innovative, and very effective, public education project carried out in Germany that simply consisted of a young person with so-called "schizophrenia" going into schools and colleges and talking about his life and his difficulties; the students focused on the similarities between themselves and the person with mental health problems, and stigma was significantly reduced.

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      schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Nice.

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         Hollie Thomasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         We need to talk about mental health issues MORE, we all suffer from them but you're right there is a stigma attached. It's the unseen illness, but actually as ridiculous as this might sound, normal. Because mental illness is the prevalent illness in society, but the one that most sufferers feel unable to talk about. Because, of the stigma attached.

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      HattieMattieMaeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      In my human service degree we did have some mental health clients come in and talk about there experience to bring unawareness. Thy really enjoy doing this to change the stigma!

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         schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         What exactly do you mean by that? Like....sounds interesting

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4. 79

   schoolgirlforrealposted 11 years ago

   Thanks for your feedback guys.
   I myself have problems with my label as bipolar.
   It's my own projection. I just don't accept it even after 20yrs like I don't accept being fat from meds when I was always a size 5.
   I try to go with the belief "It's not the illness, it's you."
   
   xoxo
   
   

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5. 67

   Michael Willisposted 11 years ago

   In our society there will always be a stigma attached to people who are different in any way. Educating people through sharing experiences may help some people, just don't expect everyone to learn!
   I recently published a hub on a skin disease and shared personal experiences and wrote about the stigma. I am hoping that those around me growing up and in my adulthood can realize how their actions can affect others and they may try to learn to hold judgments by educating themselves first, lol, I am not holding my breath though!
   I believe talking and writing about a mental disease should be out there for people to learn. The stigma is there, but people can learn from personal experiences. Who knows, maybe the reader is going through the same thing and feels better knowing they are not alone in their own situation.

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6. 60

   faith_love_hope32posted 11 years ago

   I think that writing about our experiences helps to eliminate stigmas.  I also think that writing about our experiences is helpful to others that are reading our stories who are also suffering with the same illness's and aren't able to talk about it.  It helps others to know they're not alone.  I think that the dx itself produces stigma which is sad.

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7. 68

   Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

   I never realized there was even a problem....
   
   Not until some guy started nutting off that i clearly didn't respect people with mental issues..
   
   because I laughed (to myself) when he walked passed me with a plastic parrot in an otherwise empty birdcage he was carrying and wearing a tee shirt with big holes in it...
   
   His shirt said "Save the snapping turtle!" 
   
   I mean.... You wok it out! 

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