Although psychology and psychiatry are relatively new fields, the concept of mental illness is not. In the 5th century B.C., a man living with epilepsy was thought to be affected by the moon god.
Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental illness is also not a new concept. At least one-third of the homeless population is living with untreated mental illness, and as far back as the 7th century, the English King Hlothaere passed laws to punish vagrants. By the 1800s, most U.S. cities had laws banning "vagrancy." That's not to mention the countless inaccurate ways that media portray persons with mental illness as mentally retarded or violent, when actually, the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiological Catchment Area Study estimated that 90 percent of persons with a current mental illness are not violent.
Certainly the amount of stigmas surrounding mental illness can be overwhelming, but here is a list of simple things that everyone can do to stop the stigma in its tracks.
1. Change your lingo
Much of the language used in mental health perpetuates false attitudes toward those living with mental illness. One simple thing you can do includes learning better ways to talk about mental health issues. For example, a person does not necessarily "suffer" from their mental illness - many persons with mental illness have effectively treated their illness and are highly functioning members of society. Rather, these people "experience" or "live with" a mental illness.
2. Realize that mental illness is a medical illness.
Mental illness is a medical illness. Period. One of the contestants on "Last Comic Standing" a few years ago did an entire routine about his family history of alcohol abuse. One thing that many people don't know is that there are just as many effective treatments for mental illnesses as there are for things like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
3. Be a friend.
If you told your friend that you were diagnosed with a serious but treatable medical illness, how would you feel if your friend laughed or told you to snap out of it? Help the people you know who are living with a mental illness by expressing your concern, asking what you can do to help and reassuring your friend that you still care about him or her. Of course, if your friend needs immediate help, encourage him or her to seek support, like using the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK.
The stigma associated with mental illness is a big barrier to treatment and recovery. If we want to promote a healthy society, we need to break down the stigma of mental illness. As former President Bill Clinton once said, "Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all."
If you are interested in more information, please check out Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Mental Health Anti-Stigma Campaign (www.whatadifference.org) or stop by the UF Health Science Center Library during the month of May for free mental health month handouts provided by the UF Psychiatry Interest Group.
Ana Turner is a second year student in UF's Florida College of Medicine and president of the college's psychiatry interest group.
