[Special guest] The elephant in the room

[Ben-RO]

Have you ever encountered stigma around mental health? What are some of the common types of stigma that you have seen?  

Okay perhaps it's because of my profession but i have seen a ridiculous amount of stigma. Interestingly a lot of people carry their own stigma about the mental health issues they have experienced. I have met a lot of people who have been very worried about having a diagnosis for example and have really struggled with that. Another internal stigma is that a lot of people think that they are week or flawed because they have experienced ill mental health. .

[j95]

Have you ever encountered stigma around mental health? What are some of the common types of stigma that you have seen?

I have encountered stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace, like issues being brushed off and people (me, lol) being told to just "toughen up" and "stop being such a basket case" because you know, if you cant see it, everything must be fine and everything can be a ok real quickly yeah?

[Ben-RO]

Sorry to hear you have had that experience @j95 there's some pretty clueless people out there, huh.

[ClCl]

Some great conversation going on and many things we might need to discuss over in the forums after tonights InfoBus!

But to make sure we make the most of @Nic - Batyr and @Steph - Batyr tonight...

What’s the point of storytelling? Can it help to reduce stigma?

[safari93]

@N1ghtW1ng it seems like statements about weakness or 'craziness' directed at people with mental illness could be a type of stigma. It seems to be one of the more common types at least 

[Nic - Batyr]

So true @Ben-RO. Stigma doesn't just come from others but from ourselves as well.

[redhead]

Have you ever encountered stigma around mental health? What are some of the common types of stigma that you have seen?
I've seen a lot of stigma because I'm fairly open about my mental health.
Whether it's been rejection from my family, snide and hurtful comments from nurses in emergency, mental health professionals saying I'm too hard or untreatable or that one day I have to snap out of it, church members saying I'm only sick because I don't trust god enough. And even self stigma by calling myself crazy etc

[Steph - Batyr]

Thanks for sharing about the type of stigma you've had to deal with @j95. I definitely agree that because people can't see mental ill health, they might not understand it and therefore say stigmatised comments.

[ClCl]

Stigma is so pervasive isnt it @redhead? No wonder it can be so hard to deal with, especially if you are already feeling low...

[safari93]

What’s the point of storytelling? Can it help to reduce stigma?

I think just the act of storytelling could normalise talking about mental health, and allow more conversations happen. I think its also important to have stories from people of all backgrounds and walks of life, since mental illness can happen to anyone regardless of circumstance