Its Time to Stop Stigma

People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.Mental illness is common. It affects thousands of people in Ireland, and their friends, families, work colleagues and society in general.

• One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives.
• Around one in ten children experience mental health problems.
• Depression affects around one in 12 of the whole population.
• 450 million people world-wide have a mental health problem.
  
• Most people who experience mental health problems recover fully, or are able to live with and manage them, especially if they get help early on.

Discrimination
But even though so many people are affected, there is a strong social stigma attached to mental ill health, and people with mental health problems can experience discrimination in all aspects of their lives.
Many people’s problems are made worse by the stigma and discrimination they experience – from society, but also from families, friends and employers.
Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives.
We know that people with mental health problems are amongst the least likely of any group with a long-term health condition or disability to:

• find work
• be in a steady, long-term relationship
• live in decent housing
• be socially included in mainstream society.

This is because society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental ill health are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.

Stigma and discrimination can also worsen someone’s mental health problems, and delay or impede their getting help and treatment, and their recovery. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental ill health. So stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness.

Media
The situation is exacerbated by the media. Media reports often link mental illness with violence, or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, evil, or very disabled and unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.
This is far from the case. See headline.ie for how to communite responsibly about mental health in the media.

Stigma reducing campaigns
Research shows that the best way to challenge these stereotypes is through first-hand contact with people with experience of mental health problems. A number of national and local campaigns are trying to change public attitudes to mental illness. These include the national voluntary sector campaign organised by See Change http://www.seechange.ie/ called the Green Ribbon Campaign http://www.greenribbon.ie/ which takes for the month of May each year.

Equality acts in Ireland
The Employment Equality Acts, 1998- 2011 protect people from employment discrimination. This includes discrimination in finding a job, keeping a job or doing work experience or vocational training. They also include advertising, equal pay, promotion and dismissal.
The Equal Status Acts, 2001-2011 protect people against discrimination when buying or accessing goods and services. This could include discrimination when accessing healthcare, education, social opportunities or while looking for accommodation.

For further information
Equality Acts
mentalhelp.ie/equality-law/

Green Ribbon Campaign
www.greenribbon.ie

For further support
​The Samaritans
www.samaritans.org
Tel: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org

Source - https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/a-to-z/stigma/