There's No Stigma to Having a Mental Illness
Mental illness advocates should simply decide that there is no stigma. While eliminating “stigma” requires only a change in their own thinking, the battle to eliminate prejudice and discrimination is much harder and is still ongoing, because it requires changing others. But importantly, eliminating prejudice and discrimination couldn’t be done without first recognizing that the alleged “stigma” that was preventing everyone from speaking out didn’t even exist. Stigma was killed, and everyone moved on to focus on the real enemy: prejudice and discrimination.
May was Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, it should be celebrated as “Stigma Is Dead Month.” Next year it should be converted to “End Discrimination Against The Mentally Ill Month.” Click here to read the entire article.