Mental Health Stigma Reduction Best Practices
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Mental illnesses can quite commonly occur in anyone irrespective of their age, race, religion, gender, or economic background. Better mental health care and better quality of care are two most important fundamental rights of people suffering with mental health problems.
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However, various social stigmas attached to mental illness are continuously proving to be a prime obstacle. Despite the advances in psychiatry and medicines, mental health stigma continues to exist and grow dangerously in our society, resulting in patients and families experiencing terrible consequences.
Listed below are some stigmas about mental illnesses that are highly prevalent in the society.
- Existence of mentally ill patients in the community can be dangerous to others.
- Mental disorders are contagious.
- Many people, who do not understand this fact, think that mental illnesses are something shameful and incurable, thus leading to social discrimination and isolation.
- Mentally ill people are difficult to communicate with.
- Mental illness reflects a weakness in character
However, most of these stigmas can be reduced through effective advocacy. Professionals need to employ an individual as well as collective effort at various levels. People need to be educated about the fact that mental illness can be effectively cured by providing a bit of support, love, care and affection. Governments and service organizations can launch national awareness programs inviting an active participation from the public. These programs should be advertised through various electronic and print media services providing information to the public about the importance of such programs.
Rates of unemployment are significantly high among people with psychiatric disorders. One way to get relief from stress is to work. Impetus is on the local governments and social agencies to provide employment opportunities and support such individuals. However, these people need to be supported by employment advisors. One such alternative is the supported work scheme that integrates vocational rehabilitation and mental health service with competitive employment.
It is the responsibility of the employees to arrange advocacy programs at professional and individual levels in order to reduce mental illness stigmas among co-workers in the organization.
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