Q. What is the stigma around mental health?
Hello doctor,
What is the stigma around mental health? Why it is there? How can people help break the stigma around mental health and what advice do you have for people who want help but stigma is keeping them from getting it?
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
Stigma for mental illnesses is as old as civilization itself. Persons having mental illnesses were considered as evil. Mental illnesses were thought to be due to past life sins. A person having any kind of mental illness whether neurotic or psychotic was considered as "mental" or "crazy" or "lunatic". Progressively these all resulted in failure to acknowledge the mental illness and individuals develop thinking that what others would think if they consult a psychiatrist. Stigma is there because of cultural beliefs. Even in western countries, people have hesitation in consulting a psychiatrist. What will others think about me? People will make fun of me if I consult a psychiatrist, psychiatric medicines will make me emotionally numb, I will become dependent on medicines, etc., are the reasons there is a stigma for mental illnesses.
Psycho-education is the most important method to break stigma. Awareness in public about mental illnesses, acknowledgment by celebrities that they too suffer mental issues are the factors that can help to break the stigma. Making people believe that mental illnesses are like any other medical illnesses, and these occur because of change in neuro-transmitters also help in reducing stigma.
Was this answer helpful?
|Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Related Questions:
How does diet help in mental health conditions?
.. studies prove the role of diet in mental disorder mainly mood disorders like depression and anxiety disorders. In general, diets rich in proteins especially aromatic amino acid proteins, complex carbohydrates and low fats help to improve serotone... Read full
Can blushing while getting too much attention be due to mental illness?Is it possible that I have some kind of mental illness or maybe autism ... First of all, this is not a serious mental issue ... Read full
Stress in a Broad Perspective - More Than Merely a Mental Illness!!Stress is not just a mental illness ... of mental illness hospitals and psychiatrists ... Many people feel stress as only a psychiatric... Read full
Also Read Answers From:
Comprehensive Medical Second Opinion.Submit your Case
Also Read
Coronavirus Variant Arcturus: | Omicron XBB.1.16 Variant
Arcturus is an emerging variant of the Omicron virus that causes various symptoms and spreads rapidly across the world. ... Read more»
Adrenaline Rush - Symptoms, Causes, Effects, and How to Control
Adrenaline is a hormone responsible for fight or flight response. It is also a neurotransmitter and medicine. It is also... Read more»
Fatty Liver - Types, Symptoms, Stages, and Treatment
The liver is the largest gland in the body. Its primary function is to process the food and drinks we consume. and filte... Read more»
Ask your health query to a doctor online?
Ask a Psychiatrist Now* guaranteed answer within 4 hours.
