Stop the Stigma

Many people talk about the short bus, aka, the short school bus. There are jokes thrown around like, “Hey you must ride the short bus.” These stigmas need to stop. Historically, the short bus was made for the “developmentally disabled” children who needed a ride to school. So now there are jokes that are associated with the short bus. “You must ride the short bus”. O.k… so you are trying to say that I am developmentally disabled? Really? So what if I am. Is there something wrong with that? Should I be treated any different than you? I DON’T THINK SO! The stigma’s surrounding MI must stop! 

Click here for a blog about riding the "short bus"

According to Bruce Link and Jo Phelan there are 3 different types of discrimination that are connected to stigma: Direct discrimination, Structural discrimination, and Internalized discrimination.

Direct discrimination is described as people holding a stereotyped belief about those with mental illnesses. One way to reduce this would be to EDUCATE. People need to be educated regarding MI instead of believing what they see and hear on television.

Structural discrimination is described as a person’s social environment that can have an effect on their safety, health care options, and on the amount of funding available for research on MI. One way to reduce this problem would be to once again, EDUCATE. If people are educated regarding MI and they get a chance to see what structural discrimination is, then they are more likely to try and help make some changes. But if people don’t see it, then often they are unaware of it.  

Internalized discrimination is described as learning from a young age the negative attributes surrounding those with MI. Well, once again, EDUCATION would help these stigmas. Some of the people that do have a MI are scared to seek treatment because they don’t want to be labeled. But if the population was educated properly on MI then the mentally ill would not have to worry about being labeled and they wouldn't have to be scared.

Do you see a pattern here?

 I do…The answer to reducing stigma is to EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE!!!

 

For information on building awareness about stigma, click here

 

For a journal dedicated to stigma research and action, click here