How to Deal With the Stigma of Mental Illness

Because mental illness is often publicized in the media in association with crime or violent acts, people develop negative perceptions of those with these conditions. If you have a mental illness, you may feel like family, friends, coworkers, or other people treat you differently. This can make coping with your condition that much more difficult. Think about Celebrating Mental Health Day as an opportunity to talk to others directly about misconceptions surrounding mental illness and related issues. Learn to deal with the stigma of having a mental illness by improving your self-confidence, finding healthy sources of support, and speaking out against stigma.

Method 1 - Working on Your Self-Confidence

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→ Educate yourself. Learning all you can about your mental health condition can help you correct misconceptions. When you are properly educated on the scientific basis of mental illness, you are better equipped to handle the ignorance you may hear. Closing the knowledge gap and educating yourself and others is at the root of fighting stigma.

→ Seek out reputable information from sources like the National Institute of Mental Illness, the American Psychological Association, and PsychCentral.

→ Ask your doctor or therapist for additional information such as pamphlets or recommended readings.

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→ Take advantage of accommodations. Although you might try to act like you don’t need additional assistance at school or work, you are only hurting yourself by turning it down. Allowing yourself to be open and vulnerable about your needs is a form of confidence and self-acceptance. When you accept needed services, you allow others to help and get to know you.

→ Plus, by accepting any accommodations you need, you ensure that you are able to function as best you can to lead a productive life.

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→ Choose how you want to identity with your illness. Some people prefer to drastically separate their conditions from their identities. On the contrary, others prefer to be addressed or described by their conditions. There are many ways of assimilating your mental illness into your overall identity. The choice is yours as to how you want to be addressed by others.

→ Keep in mind that by labeling yourself with your condition, you may start to see yourself as overpowered by your condition, instead of seeing your condition as a small part of who you are. Other people may also do the same. This is one way that stigma may begin.

→ Some people with mental illness opt to separate themselves from their diagnosis by dropping phrases like “I am depressed/anorexic/bipolar.” Instead, you may say, “I have depression/anorexia/bipolar.”

→ Then again, some people choose to strongly embrace and identify with their mental health conditions. If you view your mental illness as an inherent and important part of who you are, you might prefer identity-first language. This language uses the mental illness as an identifier much like being "athletic" or "Muslim". You may prefer that people describe you as a "schizophrenic person" or a "bipolar individual."

→ How you identify with your illness is a personal choice. Be sure to let those around you know your preferences so that you are described in the way you are most comfortable.

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→ Remember that stigma arises from ignorance. This is easier said than done—but try not to take negative perceptions personally. When you take stigma personally, you affirm others’ beliefs by playing into it. You may become defensive, loud, or angry, which only weakens your argument. Instead stay calm and remember that just because they said it doesn’t make it true.

Method 2 - Building a Strong Support System

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→ Don’t isolate. A common reaction to stigma is often isolation. Unfortunately, withdrawing from friends and family only worsens your mental health symptoms. Plus, you defeat the purpose of trying to overcome stigma by staying to yourself. So, get out there and spend time with positive people.

→ It can help to start by reaching out to just one person--your partner, a coworker, a friend, or a relative. Call them up a few times each week. If you feel like going out, meet them at a park or for coffee.

→ If you have trouble getting out of the house due to anxiety or depression, work with a professional therapist or a support group to help you overcome this issue. You might locate a therapist in your area who can conduct telemental health sessions via telephone or videoconferencing.

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→ Talk to your therapist about stigma. People with mental illness may be stereotyped and discriminated against in their personal lives and in the public media. You can learn how to best cope with this stigma by getting the treatment you need and sharing your concerns with your mental health provider.

→ Ask your therapist, “I feel like friends and relatives treat me differently now that they know I have PTSD. What can I do to cope with this stigma and change their attitudes?”

→ Beyond seeking advice from your therapist about how to deal with stigma, this professional also functions as a primary source of support for you. Don’t hesitate to openly share your fears with them.

→ You can also look into resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Psychological Society.

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→ Participate in a support group. Having a strong social support group helps you build resilience to effectively handle stigma. There’s no better source of support than men and women who are enduring the same struggles. Sign up for a local or online support group related to your condition. Then, seek advice and encouragement from members.

→ You can also try connecting with people in your area who share your interests, such as by checking for local groups on Meetup.com.

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→ Share your feelings with trusted family and friends. Although it’s hard, it can help to open up to those who are closest to you. Your loved ones may play into stigma because you are not vocal about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

→ When you shed light on what’s happening, you are more likely to educate them on the effects of stigma and build allies in the process.

Method 3 - Speaking Out Against Stigma

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→ Use your voice. If you hear mentally ill people being stigmatized, or if you yourself face stigma, speak out. Don’t allow those who are ignorant about mental illness to categorize or label you. Use your voice to correct misconceptions and educate others on what it’s really like to live with your condition.

→ For instance, you hear someone lightly joke that a sad coworker is depressed about their breakup. You might say, "If she's really suffering from depression, it's no laughing matter. Millions of people struggle with this condition and many of them never get the help they need."

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→ Share your story. You can also educate the ignorant about mental health and help encourage others to embrace their condition by sharing you testimony with others. Sharing your story will help to normalize it and encourage other people to share their experiences as well. You might volunteer to speak at public events, start a personal blog, or simply share your story in an intimate gathering.

→ Only do this when you feel ready. Never feel pressured to talk about your condition unless you really want to.

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→ Change your language and correct others’. One of the reasons mental health stigma has run rampant is the language people use to describe these conditions. You and your social circle might lightly use words like “crazy” or “insane” to describe someone. Unfortunately, when you do this, you create an image of what a mentally ill person looks like. This portrayal is unfair and incorrect.

→ Stop using casual words to refer to someone’s mental functioning. Instead describe conditions as they really are, such as “schizophrenia” or “bipolar.”