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Mental illness and breaking the stigma

Grateful90Casual Contributor19 Sept 2016, 7:39 pm AEST

Mental illness and breaking the stigma

As a person with Bipolar Disorder and someone who has previously attempted to take their own life I feel a great deal of stigma. Only my closest friends and family know for this very reason. Not everyone would understand. I hope one day mental illness will be viewed like physical illness - as something without judgement. I think the more we talk openly the more people will undersand. I'd love to hear from anyone else who feels the stigma in their daily lives.

5 replies

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In response to: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

BlueBaySenior Contributor19 Sept 2016, 7:47 pm AEST

Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

Hi @Grateful90

I totally agree with you in regards to stigma with mental illness. I have BPD, depression and anxiety. I haven't told my close friends and family that i suffer from BPD. I just find that me having BPD is hard to accept and because of it's symptoms and behaviour I don't like to tell people.

But you're right - if you had a physical illness there is no stigma. And I bet we the sufferers would get more support even maybe some flowers when in hospital!!!

i thnk i feel i am being judged by others (not on here) but more so at work.

it's nice to have you on this forum. hoping to chat again. take care

In response to: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

Unknown userMember19 Sept 2016, 8:01 pm AEST

Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

Hi @Grateful90, I think the stigma you mention is very real. Even in environments where the people would tell you, theoretically, that MH is no different to physical illness, they often act like having a M is a weakness.

In response to: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

KurraSenior Contributor19 Sept 2016, 8:25 pm AEST

Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

I refuse to accept stigma. I've got bipolar 1 and have had numerous very serious goes at disposing of myself but I absolutely refuse to hang my head in shame. I do tell people. Friends, family, workplace. Lots of people aren't sure how to respond at first and say nothing at all, others will crack jokes such as 'we always knew you were a nutter ' and I lsugh with them and say something like ' sure am. I've even got a certificate of insanity '.

What this does for me and for most people I've met is it opens up questions and answers. This in itself starts to dispel a little bit of the fear many people in our society have about mental illness. It's OK to be afraid of something you don't understand.

I've had people say to me 'but you're so normal '. Not necessarily true because I'm very good at acting. This is my way of helping people who have no experience of mental illness to see it in better because now they know someone who has bipolar. Wow think of that! A mental illness in their midst. 🎶

In response to: Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

AppleblossomSenior Contributor19 Sept 2016, 8:55 pm AEST

Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

I am a bit like you @Kurra in that at this end of my life ... I am determined not to give into shame, stigma and related issues.

I sometimes pre-empt the issue by admitting my nuttiness ... and have worked hard to feel at home with a lot of euphemisms .. to raise it in a passing conversation.

However I have never had a certificat of insanity and tried very hard to get one ...

I still bump into it (stigma) on an almost daily basis.

Eg at concert yesterday ... re" a girl/woman obviously struggling .. I stick to the particulars .. and not .. the ... oh yeah .. "she's depressed" meme .. I wont argue and be provcative ...I try to be diplomatic .. but wont respond to any utterances like that .. if I dont have time to have a full and adequate discussion.

In response to: Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

hope77Senior Contributor19 Sept 2016, 11:32 pm AEST

Re: Mental illness and breaking the stigma

I think not understanding is a good thing because it opens a person up to understanding, Winston Churchill who was Prime Minister of United Kingdom during world war two suffered from Bipolar. He once said you can't throw stones at every dog that barks at you. Take the same philosophy can't fight stigma all the time. I'd rather donate my time and money to research that can find a cure for all Mental illness. if people would fundraise for this and the media would concentrate on reporting fundraising events more. it might change ignorant people. Unfortunately, mental illness is a fact

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