Here are some ways to erase stigma:

You are stronger than stigma.

✨Don’t isolate yourself

 If you have a mental illness, you may be reluctant to tell anyone about it. Try to find the courage to confide in your spouse, family members, friends, or other members of your community. Reach out to people you trust for the compassion, support, and understanding you need.

1. One way to alleviate stigma is through education and by learning the facts about mental illness. This can help us talk openly and candidly about the illness, especially when comments are made that are untrue and misleading.

2. Stereotyping, labelling, or blaming people with mental illness creates a negative environment and can be demeaning and cruel.  

3.  Avoid using words like crazy, wacko, loony, or nuts, or labelling someone by their diagnosis; e.g. schizophrenic.  

4. Treating people with mental illnesses like you would anybody else demonstrates respect for differences and dignity. 

5. Respecting the rights of all people, including those with mental illness fosters equality. People with mental illness have the same rights to housing, employment and education as everyone else and their rights are protected under law. 

6. There are times when we feel depressed or get unreasonably angry or overexcited. We even have periods when we think that everything and everybody is out to get us and that we can’t cope. Therefore let us combat stigma by demonstrating patience, understanding, love and support for the mentally ill, as this can happen to anyone.           

~ Karen B.                                             

Please in fighting against the stigma. #MENTALHEALTHSTIGMAFIGHTER

#MENTALHEALTHSTIGMAFIGHTER