By Raymond Anthony Fernando, Mental Health Advocate & Caregiver
Most people fear what they don’t understand. In the case of mental illness, a lack of understanding can give the wrong impression that all psychiatric patients are violent, cannot function properly and are nothing but trouble makers. This perception is magnified when the media highlights people with mental disorders who commit crimes and cause disruptions in the neighbourhood and not those who contribute to society.
Combating stigma is by no means an easy task. Stigma leads to discrimination where sufferers of mental disorders become isolated and become a prime target of all kinds of humiliating remarks within the community and at the workplace. This is one reason why persons struggling with depression and other mental disorders often do not seek help or openly talk about their mental health issues.
Wrongful assumptions that persons with mental illness cannot recover must be corrected. This is where advocates should come out in full force to debunk this misconception.
Other common myths, such as “mental illness is a sign of personal weakness” and “people with mental illness should be confined to a hospital”, should be publicly debunked; otherwise stigma will deter those having mental issues from seeking proper treatment.
