Erasing the stigma of mental illness -- Short-lived campaigns are not enough

[HuckleB]

http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_16542078

...

Wayne Baldaro, a member of the Los Angeles area chapter of NAMI, agreed. Baldaro's organization provides 12-week educational program for families on how to deal with mental illness. Like, MHA, NAMI also does outreach into the greater community to educate people on what mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression, look like. He said the more people are educated, the more they seek help.

"Once you develop empathy and compassion, the stigma and shame dissipate," Baldaro said. "There's a lot of misunderstanding and stigma."

Every year, NAMI holds an annual walk in Santa Monica to raise awareness and funds for mental health help and advocacy. The Tennies said they want to help start a similar outreach event in the Inland Empire region and plan on talking to regional leaders for aid.

"What we want to see come out of this is I'm going to talk to the the city councils in Chino and Chino Hills and with Mental Health America to get an event here in the Inland Empire," David Tennies said. "Maybe we can get a regional event going because awareness needs to get out there."

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AND...

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v468/n7321/full/468163a.html


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And, yes, making posts that ask "Did you take your meds today?" or say "Republicans are retarded." or ... or ... does promote the stigma against those with mental health diagnoses and developmental disabilities.

Please refrain. There's a whole world of other humor that can be employed.

Thanks!

:hi:

:toast:

[blue neen]

1. There is still such a stigma.

People just can't seem to understand that mental illness is a disease, just like diabetes. Attitudes have evolved but not nearly enough.

The brain is just like any other organ in the body...sometimes it doesn't do the job it's supposed to.

[HuckleB]

6. Exactly!

:toast:

[Posteritatis]

2. This place has improved in the last year or so, but it's still sad how bad it gets at times

I haven't seen as many people arguing that all mentally ill people are Republicans anymore, but there's still some impressively ugly stuff said now and then.

[HuckleB]

8. Well, hopefully things will continue to improve!

:hi:

[RavensChick]

3. Good point!

I have seen enough of mental illness in my family that makes me second guess the posts I see here sometimes. Yes it's true that repubs are delusional but there are better ways of expressing it.

[billlll]

4. 94%-- GOP cut funds for mental health that much since '80

Amazing

Fm Pete Early's book "Crazy....."

We need to reexpand state asylums and be sure they are not inhumane... As some say they were when they were fullsized.

And reexpand community treatment clinics.

Memorize the stat in the title here. Tks. Do this for my epal in Idaho, who I thank for that stat, and who is dealing with M-Illness.

[pitohui]

5. what difference will awareness make?

at some point the reality is that having a mental illness is a bad thing just as being ugly is a bad thing

i was disfigured from birth for a genetic reason, i could sit here and be bitter and post a million times about how awful it is to make fun of people who are ugly because it promotes a "stigma" against ugly people but at the end of the day being ugly is bad, being mentally ill is bad and pretending it isn't bad isn't helping me, humoring me isn't helping me, it's insulting my intelligence

it's saying i'm both ugly AND stupid well guess what i'm not stupid

stop humoring me, stop pretending you don't see what any two eyes can see and then move forward...or is that too hard for you?

the more you are educated the more the shame dissipates? only if you are a liar ....the shame never dissipates, it can't, but just treat me as an equal instead as a moron...don't fucking HUMOR me

[blue neen]

7. Shame and stigma can stop mentally ill people from getting the help they need.

Mental illness does not always have to be a bad thing...with proper treatment many of the affected people can live quite extraordinary lives.

"Wayne Baldaro, a member of the Los Angeles area chapter of NAMI, agreed. Baldaro's organization provides 12-week educational program for families on how to deal with mental illness. Like, MHA, NAMI also does outreach into the greater community to educate people on what mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression, look like. He said the more people are educated, the more they seek help."

Another important part of the awareness and education is to help the families and friends help and deal with their ill loved ones.